Jordan- 'Family planning most effective solution to rapid population growth' 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Rapid population growth poses a significant challenge to the Kingdom's development goals, USAID acting Mission Director Douglas Ball said on Wednesday.

"Such growth places [demands] on Jordan's resources, namely water and energy, as well as social services like health and education," Ball noted.

He added that promoting the use of modern family planning through "up-to-date", easily accessible and easily understood health communication materials is one of the most effective means of achieving lower fertility rates and slower population growth.

Ball's remarks came at the inauguration of the Media Materials Unit at the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

The unit, supported by USAID through the Jordan Heath Communication Partnership (JHCP), contains promotional items, books, training kits, health magazines, CDs, DVDs, videos, posters and brochures about health issues, classified according to a detailed electronic system to ensure easy access to the materials.

The unit, Ball said, will provide material for all Jordanians who seek to improve their health behaviours in line with Kingdom's development goals, including issues concerning family planning.

Health Ministry Secretary General Deifallah Lozi noted that the unit will also make the studies and data produced by the ministry and its partners available to any Jordanian who wants to benefit from them.

JHCP Chief of Party Edson Whitney added that one of the goals of establishing this unit is to archive the ministry's resources in an easily accessible place.