Management development in the Korean national family planning program.

ABSTRACT

PIP This paper concentrates on the management development aspects of the Korean family planning program which began in 1962. Population growth rate in Korea went from 2.9% in 1962 to 2% in 1971, and total fertility rate declined 57% from 1960 to 1979. Program cost during 1962-80 totaled $147.7 million, of which 81.2% came from the national government. It has been calculated that between 1962-80 about 3.5 million births were averted. In December 1980 the program employed a total of 3811 full time employees in 4 different organizations; currently the coverage is about 1 family planning worker for every 4200 urban couples, and for every 1200 rural couples. Major methods of birth control used the IUD, the condom, the pill, female sterilization, male sterilization, and menstrual regulation. A total of 1.107 million acceptors received services between 1962-80. Responsibility for the national program rests with the Ministry of Health and with the Economic Planning Board. If it is reasonable to say that the program has been successful, there are still problems to be solved which include 1) an inadequate approach to contraceptive services in rural areas, 2) a high discontinuation rate of contraceptive usage, 3) high turnover of fieldworkers, 4) poor coordination with other health programs, 5) poor quality of research, and 6) weak management training. Improvements in program management functions include program planning, better distribution of economic resources, better training and use of personnel, and better use of private clinics and mobile vans. Also necessary are interministerial and interagency coordination, improvements in the record reporting system, and better program evaluation. The current management system is making efforts to integrate family planning services with maternal and child health and expand the role of international agencies in training courses and research investment.^ieng