Establishing Reproductive Health Education and Counseling in Military Services: The Turkish Model for Male Involvement

Ministry of Health, Mother and Child Health and Family Planning General Directorate; Turkey Field Office of UNFPA, and Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GMMA) of Turkish Armed Forces have been conducting a program to increase male concern and participation in sexual and reproductive health in a positive and supporting way. Specialist physicians and nurses from military hospitals were trained by Ministry of Health as trainers (October 2002- September 2003) by one-week courses on interactive training skills. Primary physicians, nurses and medical petty officers were trained as field trainers and counselors (March 2003-April 2004). Training rooms with standardized training material were established in all of the military garrisons. Soldiers were given the one-day participatory course. Trained medical staff also provided individual counseling and services. All training rooms were coded and connected to Reproductive Health Network established within the Intranet of Army. Reproductive Health activities were included in the regular supervision scheme of the army. Since April 2004 740.000 soldiers were given the one-day course. A total of 4000 military medical staff was educated as Trainers. A total of 580 training rooms were established. Twenty of Military Hospitals became a center of reproductive health training and service delivery. Since large-scale intervention is necessary to reach male population, the army seems to be the best possible venue in Turkey. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2008; 7(2): 97-106]