The World Vasectomy Fortnight from November 21 to December 4 began here in the presence of Special Secretary Health Dr Binod Mishra. Director Health Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu, Joint Director Family Welfare Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty and State Programme Coordinator, UNFPA Dr Deepa Prasad were present.
This year, the programme is observed in two phases such as mobilisation (November 21 to 27) and service delivery (November 28 to December 4) This year’s slogan is: “Zimmedar Purushki yehi hai pehchan, parivar niyojanmein jo de yogdaan”
The emphasis on male involvement in family planning programme in the State has witnessed a continuous increase in male sterilization from 1,923 in the year 2012-13 to 2,632 in the year 2016-17.
The proportion of vasectomy acceptors to that of the total sterilization has also increased from 1.4 per cent in 2013-14 to 2.4 per cent in the year 2016-17.
In order to take this initiative forward, a number of measures have been taken by the Department of Health and Family Welfare including identification, sensitization and registration of desirous couples for male contraception by ANMs, ASHAs and other health workers, awareness generation activities through peer networks, and other local NGOs, IEC/BCC activities through display, printing and transmission through electronic media, mapping of facilities and preparation of calendar for service and couple and individual counselling on basket of choices by frontline workers and facility staff, etc.