Demand side of Pakistan's population welfare programme.

Abstract

Pakistan's population welfare program was established with the assumption that many people in Pakistan did not use contraception because they had no access to an available supply of contraceptive methods. Were they provided contraceptives, widespread latent demand would translate into effective demand, and the contraceptive supplies would be used. The population welfare program since its inception has therefore been mainly supply oriented. Contraceptive supplies may be available in Pakistan, but demand for them has been extremely weak throughout the program's existence. The opposition of husbands and mothers to contraceptive use, high infant and child mortality inducing couples to desire large families and several sons, and religion are among factors which impede the uptake of contraception in Pakistan. Socioeconomic and demographic factors also indirectly affect demand. Information, education, and communication efforts have failed to generate demand for family planning among eligible couples. Moreover, motivators motivate neither within nor outside of family welfare centers. More concerted and intense efforts are called for to create demand for family planning services in Pakistan.