Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

Female and male sterilizations are performed mostly in government hospitals (55 and 29
percent, respectively). Forty-eight percent of women using injectables obtain their supply from
community health centers, and 24 percent obtain them from health posts. Pills are primarily obtained
from community health centers (43 percent) and referral hospitals (15 percent). Fifty-nine percent of
implants are provided through community health centers. IUDs are mostly inserted at community
health centers (40 percent) and national hospitals (28 percent). These findings point to the continued
reliance on government facilities as a major source of contraceptives. There is clearly scope for
greater utilization of SISCa posts for provision of some family planning methods since there are a
greater number of SISCa posts than all fixed facilities combined. Although SISCa offers services on a
monthly basis, many family planning methods do not necessarily require more frequent visits.
Injectables are the most preferred method, which can certainly be offered during a monthly service.
5.11 PAYMENT OF FEES FOR MODERN CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS
The majority of users (98 percent) in Timor-Leste do not pay for contraception (data not
shown). In most cases the only cost borne by public sector users is a registration fee, whereas the
small number of private sector users who pay must bear the cost of the consultancy and payment for
the method as well as the registration fee.
5.12 INFORMED CHOICE
Informed choice is an important tool for monitoring the quality of family planning services.
All providers of sterilization must inform potential users that the operation is a permanent, irreversible
procedure; potential users also must be informed of alternate methods that could be used. Users of
temporary methods also should be informed about choices they have and other methods available.
Family planning providers also should inform all method users of potential side effects and what to do
if they experience a problem. This information assists users in coping with side effects and decreases
unnecessary discontinuation of temporary methods.
Table 5.9 presents information on informed choice by type and source of method. The data
show that 61 percent of current users were informed about possible side effects or problems
associated with use, 55 percent of users were informed about what to do if they experienced side
effects, and 53 percent were told of other methods that could be used. The private sector is more
likely than the public sector to inform users about side effects or problems associated with using a
method. In contrast, the public sector is more likely than the private sector to inform clients of what to
do if they experience side effects and to tell them about other methods that can be used. Information
on whether women who had been sterilized were told if the method was permanent is not shown by
the method source due to the very small number of cases.
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