Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Red Segura Nicaragua

last updated May 29, 2013

Overview

Implementing organization: 
PASMO Nicaragua
Implementation Partner(s): 
PSI, Ministry of Health, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), Centro Mujeres IXCHEN, Profamilia, Fundación Xochiquetzal, Asociación Quincho Barrilete, Asociación Centro de Acción Juvenil - Pablo Lopez Gamez, Centro de Estudios y Promoción Social (CEPS), Asodel, Hermanas Mercedarias de Berriz, local distributors
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2011
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
Bottom 20%, 20-60% (lower to lower-middle)

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor
Additional Source(s) of Funding: 
In-kind contributions, Revenue (e.g., interest on loans)
Funders: 
Anonymous Donor, Dutch Government, NovoNordisk, USAID, World Diabetes Foundation

Technology

Technology Used: 
Radio/TV
Technology Purpose: 
Facilitating Patient Communications › General Health Education

Scale

Personnel Employed: 
<10
Number of Clients Served: 
26,000 in 2011; 34,851 total visits (Recorded in 2012)
Number of Facilities Operated/Networked: 
391 (As of 2012)
Other Measures of Scale: 
Distribution of Outlets: 80% rural; 20% urban Numbers and types of outlets: 57 hospitals and 334 clinics Numbers and types of health workers: 3 doctors, 40 nurses and 360 midwives
Summary: 

Red Segura (meaning "safe network" in Spanish) is a network of medical clinics that provide gynecological and family planning services of high quality at affordable prices, which seeks to expand the supply of services through training certification meeting quality standards with warmth.

Program goals/rationale: 

Young women 15-24 years old in Nicaragua have the greatest unmet need for contraceptives at 30%, and the highest adolescent fertility rate (109 per 1000) in the entire region of the Americas; among the family planning methods used, female sterilization has the highest prevalence at 17.5%. The predominance of sterilization, especially among youth, indicates a need to promote greater choice and awareness of methods, particularly long-term methods, to allow younger women to choose a method that can be reversed later in her reproductive life should she choose to have more children.

Key program components: 

PASMO/Nicaragua operates Red Segura, a social franchise of private providers that benefits both women (direct consumers) and health providers (network members). The Segura Network offers fairly priced sexual and reproductive health services that adhere to strict quality standards based on voluntary and informed choice. Members belonging to the network receive trainings to improve the quality of services as well as specialized instruction on various family planning methods. Network members must undergo a certification process before they can officially join the network. In Nicaragua, the Segura Network has more than 60 members in the departments of Managua, León, Chinandega, Estelí, Chontales and Masaya. The network is also present in Guatemala and El Salvador.

This franchise supports health providers through providing training and technical support that strengthens their ability to meet the need of the clients. It offers discounted prices of equipment and products for health providers and works to increase their income. It also promotes and increases the demand for the health services through the support of a team of community promoters. Red Segura has launched campaigns and publicized the importance of sexual and reproductive health through a TV miniseries.

Red Segura clinics offer Branded Vive condoms, lubricants and Body Guard condoms, PASMO/Nicaragua’s socially marketed condom brand. Other services include sexually transmitted infections treatment and diarrheal disease management.

Quality assurance (QA) and performance monitoring methods include:

  • Regular site visits (4/year)
  • Clinical audits (1/year)
  • Provider focus groups and performance benchmarking (12/year)
  • Provider self-assessments (1/year)
  • Provider surveys (1/year)
  • Mapping studies (1/year).
    Refresher trainings are organized on the basis of the findings of QA assessments.
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PASMO TRaC FP 2011.pdf560.12 KB
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