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The FPA Express . . .
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FPA Express in Barrackpore: 2nd from L-R Nurses Ambah Ahye and Carol Smith, Mr & Mrs Indarsingh (Community Co-ordinators), Nurse Faria Moonah and Anna Maynard, Outreach Co-ordinator. |
Reaching out . . .Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago first began its outreach programme in the 1970's. However, due to difficulties with funding, the programme was dissolved in the late 1980's. In 1993, the programme was relaunched in its present format. FPA nurses and family life educators visit community centres in rural and underserved communities and provide basic sexual and reproductive health services to women and men of the area.. . . with meaningful support . . .
The programme is funded by the J.B. Fernandes Trusts 1 and 11, which have already given more than US$100,000 in the form of equipment and vehicles for transportation of the crew.. . . to provide health services . . .
The clinics together with the outreach programmes are the lifeblood of the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago, providing services which are of great demand by the public, but which can be cost prohibitive when accessed privately. These services are provided free of cost or at low charge at hospitals and health facilities across the country, however, because of the high demand, the waiting list can be quite long. FPA's clinics provide a cost-effective alternative for the sexual and reproductive health needs of the country.. . . that are otherwise inaccessible.
The outreach programme has received much support from the communities because for many persons this may be the only medical service that is easily accessible to them. For many, hospitals and health centres are too far away and the cost of going to a private doctor may be prohibitive.FPA's outreach programme includes:
- Contraceptive services
- Breast Examinations
- Pelvic Examinations
- Blood pressure checks
- Urine tests for sugar and protein
- Urine pregnancy tests
- Pap smear tests
- Counseling
- Educational lectures
. . . educational lectures . . .
In addition to receiving medical services, each outreach visit commences with an educational lecture by an FPA Family Life Educator. These lectures present information on such topics as sexually transmitted diseases, yeast infections, menopause and breast self-examination. FPA also collaborates with the Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago and The Informative Breast Feeding Service (TIBS) to offer additional educational segments.. . . to communities nationwide . . .
Since its inception in 1993 the FPA Express has grown, and now serves sixteen communities all over Trinidad and Tobago. These communities are:
- Port of Spain
- Orange Field
- Maloney
- Cumana
- Pointe a Pierre - Petrotrin
- Santa Flora - Petrotrin
- Couva - Caribbean ISPATT
- La Horquetta
- Sangre Grande
- UWI, St Augustine
- Enterprise
- Korea
- Carapichaima
- Barrackpore
- San Francique
- Rio Claro
. . . improving the quality of life.
In 1998, 863 women and 22 men benefited from the outreach programme. In addition to providing medical services, the FPA Express through its Family Life Educators in particular, also provides adult education programmes by request to community groups. In 1998, 1,400 women and 401 men were reached by way of adult education programmes conducted for women's groups, church groups and other community organisations.Would you like the FPA Express to visit you?
