Through the TAKENUSA (Tekad Bersama untuk Perempuan Nusa Tenggara) program, Yayasan Inisiatif Perubahan Akses menuju Sehat (IPAS) Indonesia launched a campaign on Reproductive Health through Interactive Voice Response (IVR) in 14 villages in East Nusa Tenggara. The purpose of this launch is to increase the understanding of health cadres in the village related to Reproductive Health, especially Family Planning (KB) and Post Miscarriage Care (APK).
IVR is an automated telephone system with a combination of voice input and keypad selection. In simple terms, to find out information about reproductive health, cadres can access this information via mobile phones. The IVR service can be used without using an internet signal. After pressing the telephone keypad, information or messages related to reproductive health then appear in voice form. To explore further, cadres can press buttons according to the instructions.
The IVR service will be piloted from October to December 2024 with a target of 308 cadres in Kupang, East Flores and South Central Timor districts. To determine whether there is an increase in cadres’ understanding of reproductive health, IPAS Indonesia Foundation conducted a survey at the beginning, middle and end. In between the surveys, the cadres can access the IVR as a learning medium.
A cadre named Mama Maria Tunliu (40 years old) from Sunu Village said that this kind of information media was new to her. She is very happy with this service. “Because we [jadi] can know sophisticated ways. So far we have only participated in face-to-face counseling, but through this phone call [baru]. I feel grateful because it makes us more advanced,” said Mama Maria.
The same thing was also expressed by a cadre from Lanu Village, Mama Yance Tenis (39 years old). She added that she has been getting information about reproductive health from monthly meetings with TAKENUSA’s local partner, CIS Timor Foundation. In addition, there are also some activities from the Puskesmas such as meetings at Posyandu.
“The obstacle is that the meeting is held once a month so we forget and also the reproductive health thing. [Informasi kesehatan reproduksi] is a new thing so I don’t understand so meetings should be more frequent,” said Mama Yance.
“[IVR] This is a new thing where we get information from cell phones. But we don’t know how to answer. We are afraid of making mistakes because we have been meeting face-to-face,” she added.
District Officer for the TAKENUSA Program of IPAS Indonesia Foundation, Margaritha Demang alias Itha said that the cadres were indeed very enthusiastic in trying the IVR service. Even so, there were also those who were wary because this was the first time accessing information about reproductive health through the telephone system.
“For the one in Sunu Village, it was hampered by rain. In this village, when it rains, the electricity usually goes out. Some cadres were anxious because they were afraid that their phone batteries would run out. Also, the signal in Sunu is not evenly distributed, so we have to look for certain points where the signal is good,” said Itha.
Even so, Mama Mari Tunliu hopes that the service will continue. “So that we can also be more advanced, can add to our knowledge. Even sophisticated tools we can also know so that we also know about the development of information so that even though we are old but we can also keep up with existing developments,” she said.
In the TAKENUSA program, cadres’ understanding of reproductive health is very important to encourage women and adolescent girls to access services according to their health needs and conditions. With this IVR service, cadres are expected to be able to access information about reproductive health with valid sources to provide education to the community.
