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Introducing 20 Essential Resources: Quality Contraceptive Implant Removal


The Implant Removal Task Force is excited to partner with Knowledge SUCCESS to bring you this curated collection of resources for contraceptive implant removal, highlighting a critical, yet often-overlooked, component of contraceptive implant scale-up.

Why We Created This Collection

In recent years, the popularity of contraceptive implants as a method of choice for family planning (FP) has taken off. As the scale-up of contraceptive implants continues globally, increased attention is needed to ensure that FP users have access to quality implant removal when and where they desire, for any reason. Availability and access to client-centered implant removal services is a critical component of contraceptive implant scale-up. It is essential for ensuring high-quality services and continuity of care so that FP users have the ability to use their method of choice and to also stop using it when they desire. To fulfill the potential of this method in meeting client needs and reaching FP2030 goals, FP programs must be proactive in planning and implementing client-centered implant removal services.

The Global Implant Removal Task Force was established in 2015 with a mandate to identify tools, approaches, and resources for use by national FP programs and the broader global FP community to support access to and availability of high-quality implant removal services. To aid FP program managers and advisors in proactively planning and implementing client-centered implant removal services, the task force has curated the 20 Essential Resources: Contraceptive Implant Removal collection. Using the eight client-centered conditions for quality implant removal as a roadmap, this collection provides a comprehensive snapshot of the critical resources for contraceptive implant removal. Included in the eight client-centered conditions are:

Pictured: The eight client-centered conditions for quality implant removal as described in the adjacent paragraph.

The eight client-centered conditions for quality implant removal.

  • Competent and confident provider.
  • Supplies and equipment in place.
  • Implant removal data collected and monitored.
  • Service is affordable or free.
  • Service available when she wants, within a reasonable distance.
  • User knows when and where to go for removal.
  • Reassurance, counseling, and reinsertion/switching are offered.
  • System in place for managing difficult removals.

How We Chose the Resources

To curate this set of resources, members of the task force—representing researchers, implementing partners, the donor community, and others—reviewed lessons and guidance from field experiences and research initiatives on optimal ways to address gaps in service availability and delivery and prioritized the materials they’d found most useful. The resources reviewed included those in the K4Health Toolkit on Implant Removal as well as many others referenced in peer-reviewed and grey literature. Taskforce members then generated a shortlist for proposed inclusion.

In this review process, the task force utilized the following criteria for selection:

  • Selection of the best choice for a given topic, avoiding duplication of similar content.
  • Representation of a comprehensive range of issues on implant removal.
  • Applicability to different settings.
  • Publication date and relevance to current, updated guidance.
  • Usefulness to FP program managers or technical advisors.
20 Essential Resources: Contraceptive Implant Removal

Taskforce members also shared resource gaps they’d identified—several new resources were developed to fill these. For example, the indicator reference sheet and removal modeling guidance were created upon the members’ suggestion to have more measurement resources.

This curated list of the 20 most essential resources for supporting the delivery of high-quality, client-centered implant removal services has been created from the compendium of taskforce materials developed to date.

What Is Included in This Collection?

This collection of 20 essential resources on contraceptive implant removal includes a mix of learning resources, publications, service delivery, and measurement tools. They were selected from a wide range of insertion and removal resources for contraceptive implants. Specific implant removal resources developed by the Global Implant Removal Task Force were included in addition to other resources from family planning implementing partners. The resources are categorized into four areas that include:

  • Background and advocacy.
  • Service delivery.
  • Measurement and assessment.
  • Country and programmatic experience.

Each resource includes a summary description of the resource and why it is considered essential to contraceptive implant removal. We hope you will find these resources useful and look forward to receiving your feedback.

Sarah Webb

Technical Advisor, Jhpiego

Sarah is a Technical Advisor at Jhpiego, where she works across the organization’s RMNCAH and Innovations Portfolios. Sarah provides technical assistance on both family planning and maternal newborn health projects, as well as on approaches for engaging the private sector and utilizing market solutions in reproductive health. She has close to 10 years of experience in global health and international development, with a focus on advocacy and business-oriented solutions to global health challenges. Sarah has experience throughout Africa, South Asia, and Central and South America. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics & Government from the University of Puget Sound and a Master’s in Public Health and Master’s in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University.

Japhet Ominde Achola

Regional Clinical Quality Technical Consultant, EngenderHealth

Dr. Japhet Ominde Achola is currently working as a Regional Clinical Quality Technical Consultant at EngenderHealth. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, he is an obstetrician-gynecologist by profession and has worked in family planning and reproductive health for more than 30 years. Prior to joining EngenderHealth, he worked as a clinician, program coordinator, and program manager at the national level. He also worked at the regional level in the eastern, central, and southern African regions.

Maryjane Lacoste

Sr. Global Technical Director MNCH/FP, IntraHealth International

Maryjane Lacoste, MA is a senior global health leader with over 25 years of developing, leading, and managing evidence-based portfolios and high-performing teams across diverse organizations (NGO, donor, corporate, and public and private sector) on three continents. She currently serves as Senior Global Technical Director for MNCH and FP with IntraHealth International. Maryjane has expertise in health systems strengthening, quality of care, and product and innovation introduction and scale; delivering projects in women and child health (including family planning, maternal and newborn health, and cervical cancer prevention and treatment); HIV prevention; and infection prevention. Maryjane has long-term experience in Tanzania, Malawi, and Indonesia, and has provided significant periods of short-term technical assistance to Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and India. She has presented and spoken at multiple international and national conferences and speaks and writes French fluently.