GREENSTAR SOCIAL MARKETING (GSM) – PROFILE:

Greenstar Social Marketing Pakistan (Guarantee) Limited was established in Pakistan in 1991 as a social enterprise. The organization's mission is to improve the quality of life among low-income Pakistanis by increasing access to and use of health products, services and information. In particular, GSM works to improve the sexual and reproductive health of Pakistanis by increasing access to quality modern family planning services and supplies through the following activities:

  • Overseeing a social franchise of 5,000Sabz Sitara private sector providers offering quality family planning services.
  • Social marketing quality modern contraceptive methods across the country through 80,000 sales points, with a focus on 356 underserved tehsils.
  • Providing family planning information and referrals in more than 129 districtsusing a strong cadre oftrained community educators.
  • OperatingPoocho, a 24/7 helplinethat provides access to accurateinformation and referral services to callers from anywhere in the country.
  • Implementing mass media campaigns designed to promote the health, social and economic benefits of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies.
  • Undertaking rigorous research and monitoring and evaluation activities to assess impact of interventions and inform evidence-based decision making

HEALTH IMPACT (2004-2014):

The broad strategies described above have resulted in significant achievements. Between 2004-2014, GSM has contributed the following health impact:

  • 7,657,268 - Unintended pregnancies averted
  • 1,289,733 - Abortions averted
  • 10,964 - Maternal deaths averted
  • 127,178 - Child deaths averted
  • 11,431,278 - Total DALYs[1] averted
  • 20.6 million - Couple Years of Protection (CYPs)

“GSM is responsible for provision of approximately 53% of all contraceptives distributed by the private sector, in Pakistan”[2]

ABOUT US:

GSM is an independent network member of Population Services International (PSI), an international NGO working in 65 countries across the globe to help strengthen health systems in the private and public sectors with proven business practices like marketing and franchising.PSI makes it easier for people in the developing world to lead healthier lives and plan families they desire by marketing affordable products and services.

Since inception 24 years ago, GSM’s have worked with single-minded focus to increase awareness, availability and access to affordable, quality modern contraceptives. Today, the GSM Sabz Sitaralogo is synonymous everywherewith reliable family planning information, products and services. As the largest private sector provider of reproductive health products, GSM is credited with providing approximately 53% of all contraceptives distributed by the private sector in Pakistan.

At the heart of GSM's efforts arethe womenof Pakistan. We work to inform, empower and serve women and couples to meet their reproductive health needs by making quality modern contraceptive products available, accessible and affordable to clients with some ability to pay. GSM’s strength lies in its ability to market subsidized health products across differentiated price points, thus reaching various segments of the total market. Through a nationwide network of 25,000 pharmacies, 55,000 retail outlets, and 5,000 healthcare facilities, GSM’s8contraceptive options are available to millions of women and couples.

GSM havedevelopeda nationwide network of 5,000Sabz Sitarafranchised clinics staffed by trained private service providers who offer client-centeredfamily planning counseling and services, and adhere to highstandards of quality. A dedicated cadre of trained male and female community educators reaches out to individuals, couples and communities to facilitateaccess to family planning information. By raising awareness ofthe benefits of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies, these interpersonal communicators are able to drive clients to services through referrals to franchised outlets. Their efforts are complementedby culturally appropriate public service mass media messages.

GSM’s strategies are informed by a robust research and monitoring and evaluation agenda designed to test innovations, assess the impact of interventions and generate evidence for informed programmatic decision-making. This evidence allow us to make necessary course corrections, identify catalysts that enhance awareness and demand for family planning and, ultimately, buttress the scale-up of best practices. Through these efforts, GSM are able to reach greater numbers of women and couples and expand access to much needed FP services and supplies.

GSM also works in close partnership with the Government of Pakistan and other NGO partners to strengthen the nation’s health care system.Partners include the Departments of Health and Population Welfare, the National Committee for Maternal and Neonatal Health (NCMNH), HANDS, Aga Khan University, Mercy Corps andothers. By sharing information on approaches, results, best practices, innovations, etc., all partners are better able to inform their programs and strengthen reproductive health and family planning services.

Since our inception, we have secured support from key international bi-lateral, multi-lateral and private foundational donors including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the German Development Bank (KfW), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, UNICEFand UNFPA. Private foundations such David and Lucile Packard Foundation and others have also provided generous support and contributed to GSM’s efforts to achieve health impact in Pakistan.

GSM’S VISION 2020:

GSM’s most recent five-year strategic plan, ‘GSM Vision 2020’ deepens our commitment to improving access to family planning services and supplies so that the women of Pakistan can lead healthier, happier, more productive lives. Informed by our learnings and responsive to the reproductive health and family planning needs of Pakistan, GSM Vision 2020 aligns with the global FP2020 initiative. “Voluntary family planning is one of the greatest public health advances of the past century. Enabling women and couples to make informed decisions about whether, and when to have children reduces unintended pregnancies, incidence of unsafe abortions, and maternal and newborn deaths.”

“Promotion of family planning – and ensuring access to preferred contraceptive methods for women and couples – is essential in securing the well-being and autonomy of women, increasing their educational and economic opportunities that lead to healthier families and communities. Family planning is a smart, sensible, and vital component of global health and development.”

With renewed efforts aimed at strengthening the provision of quality family planning products and servicesthrough its social marketing and social franchising networks, GSM will focus on:

  • Targetingspecific underserved populations in selectedperi-urban and rural areas with low CPR and high unmet needfor family planning
  • Enhancingchoices in contraceptive methods by launching new Sathi and Touch variants,a new low dose oral contraceptive pilland a new IUCD premium line
  • Commercial distribution of Implants to Sabz Sitara providers.
  • Advocacy efforts supported by research findings and analysis.
  • Innovative utilization of vouchers to generatedemand and increase the adoption of family planning among low income and underserved populations
  • Ensuring availability of and access to the full range of modern family planning methods at GSM sales points across Pakistan, including service providers, pharmacies, and retail outlets
  • Building the capacityof service providers to meet all family planning quality standards

GSM’s FP2020 vision entails deepening our health impact over the coming yearssuch that the following ambitious targets are reached:

  • 8,263,973 - Unintended pregnancies averted
  • 1,391,921 - Abortions averted
  • 11,833 - Maternal deaths averted
  • 137,254 - Child deaths averted
  • 12,337,009 - Total DALYs[3] averted
  • 24.5 million - Couple Year of Protection (CYPs)

The CYPs generated by GSM’s efforts will impact overall national figures. With an increase in uptake of modern contraceptives, levels of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and maternal and child morbidity and mortality will be lowered, thus contributing to a reduction in Pakistan’s population growth.

“FP2020 has shown that a broad alliance between countries, donors, NGOs, civil society and the private sector can build powerful momentum for FP. “[4]

[1]Disability adjusted life years; a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.

[2]Contraceptive Performance Report

3 Disability adjusted life years; a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.

[4] FP 2020 Official Site