Abstract
Jordan has been successful in increasing the prevalence of modern family planning (FP) methods from 27 percent in 1990 to 41 percent in 2002 (JPFHS, 2002). As a result of population growth and continued increase in demand for FP, the number of contraceptive users is expected to increase by 78 percent in the next 13 years—from 370,000 users in 2002 to approximately 650,000 users in 2015 (POLICY Project, 2003).
At any given time, 12 percent (79,000) of the approximately 660,000 married women of reproductive age are pregnant. Of these pregnancies, 15 percent (12,000) are unwanted and 28 percent (22,000) are mistimed. High fertility rates (3.7 births per woman), high unmet needs (11%), and high discontinuation rates (42.4%) demonstrate that Jordan has a long way to go to achieve the replacement-level fertility (JPFHS, 2002).
Currently, the Jordanian government finances 100 percent of its contraceptive commodity requirements through donor support. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funding and procures and ships all of the contraceptives for the Jordanian Contraceptive Logistics System (JCLS). However, a phaseout of USAID funding for contraceptives may occur in the next two to five years. The ability of the government of Jordan to meet the coming challenges is constrained by competing priorities and lack of resources.
The private sector plays an important role in the FP market. According to the 2002 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey (JPFHS), the commercial sector serves about 38 percent of modern method users, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have FP clinics that serve about 28 percent, and government hospitals and health centers serve the remaining 34 percent.
Jordan is striving for contraceptive security1 and must mobilize all potential resources to meet the demands and needs of all men and women. Policymakers require a better understanding of the FP market2 in order to develop contraceptive security strategies and interventions that would mobilize the public and private sectors to satisfy growing FP needs. Within this context, this paper presents a market segmentation analysis of the FP market to help Jordan develop an effective and evidence-based strategic plan for attaining contraceptive security.
