Impact of a quality improvement programme on family planning services in Egypt

The Egyptian government's national Gold Star programme to improve the quality and usage of family planning was conducted from 1995 to 2000. Data from the 2004 Egypt Service Provision Assessment survey were used to assess whether the certified Gold Star facilities had sustained higher quality services than non-Gold Star facilities 4 years after conclusion of the programme. A nationally representative sample of 637 facilities providing family planning services were compared using several quality indicators. Gold Star facilities had significantly better availability of family planning methods, counselling and examination services than non-Gold Starfacilities, independent of type, size and geographical location. Providers in Gold Star facilities were also more likely to adhere to higher quality practices in counselling and examination than in non-Gold Star facilities. The Gold Star programme was effective and could be implemented elsewhere in the region and globally.