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Health care industry

Launch of Digital Monitoring Tool Enhances Contraceptive Distribution in Bangladesh's RMG Sector

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Bangladesh's Directorate General of Family Planning, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund and key private sector stakeholders, has launched a digital monitoring tool to improve the accuracy and responsiveness of contraceptive distribution within the country's readymade garment sector. The tool, which is a dual-platform system, enables real-time data collection for improved forecasting and supply, stock visibility, usage tracking, and performance review. The launch aims to directly benefit around 22,000 women in six participating garment factories in its initial year, addressing the limitations of paper-based systems that often result in supply chain disruptions and stock outs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Digital Monitoring Tool is a dual-platform system that enables real-time data collection, improving forecasting and supply, stock visibility, usage tracking, and performance review across factory health centers.
  • The tool addresses the limitations of paper-based systems, which often result in supply chain disruptions and stock outs, limiting women's choices of contraceptives and impacting women's health.
  • The DMT will be rolled out and refined based on user feedback, with the next six months focusing on full implementation in pilot sites, bulk data integration, performance reporting, and mobilizing support for national scale-up.
  • The tool aims to directly benefit around 22,000 women in six participating garment factories in its initial year.
  • A recent UNFPA study in six RMG factories found that investing in family planning yields remarkable returns: up to 20% increase in productivity, 26% reduction in absenteeism, and savings of up to USD 160,000 annually per factory.
  • Only 804,000 female RMG workers were able to access contraceptives through existing channels over the past nine years, covering just a fraction of the workforce.
  • The initiative is part of a broader strategy by UNFPA and the DGFP to expand public-private partnerships to address the unmet need for modern contraceptives, currently at 12%, and to enhance integrated sexual and reproductive health services.
  • The tool is part of the Government's commitment to investing in the people who are the backbone of the nation's progress.

Statistics:

  • The RMG sector employs over four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women.
  • The tool aims to benefit around 22,000 women in six participating garment factories in its initial year.
  • A recent UNFPA study in six RMG factories found:

+ Up to 20% increase in productivity

+ 26% reduction in absenteeism

+ Savings of up to USD 160,000 annually per factory

  • Only 804,000 female RMG workers were able to access contraceptives through existing channels over the past nine years.
  • The unmet need for modern contraceptives in Bangladesh is currently at 12%.
  • The tool is part of a broader strategy to enhance integrated sexual and reproductive health services, including cervical cancer screening and gender-based violence response.

Sources:

  • United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
  • Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP)
  • Pakiza Knit Composite Ltd.
  • ToguMogu Private Limited
  • Jhpiego
  • Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh
  • Dr. Ashrafi Ahmad, Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning
  • Rakibul Islam Khan, Managing Director of Pakiza Knit Composite Ltd.

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