NEW DELHI: The Government is focusing on strengthening unmet needs for family planning in the post-delivery and post-abortion period as part of population stabilization efforts, Union Health Minister J P Nadda has said.
Inaugurating a workshop ‘Population Stabilization: ‘A Right and Responsibility’ on the occasion of the World Population Day, Nadda stated that the population stabilization efforts have an economic argument attached, as the demographic dividend of the country can be harnessed only when the population is healthy. The Union Minister stated that it is a matter of pride that the country has been able to achieve steady decline in the Total Fertility Rate (TFR).
“From a TFR of 2.9 in 2015 to a TFR rate close to 2.2 in 2018 means India is progressing at a good rate of decline,” he added. The recent expansion of basket of choices is poised to further impact the contraceptive coverage in the country, Nadda said.
The government is focusing on strengthening post pregnancy contraception (post-partum as well as post-abortion) to meet the unmet need for family planning in this period, he added. The minister said the government is addressing the issue of population stabilization in the country within the lifecycle framework by making various interventions in the mother and child and adolescent healthcare.
“As part of this strategy, right from the time of conception till the child grows, various programs of the ministry cater to the needs of immunization of the pregnant mother and the child, carrying on till the adolescent stage and further,” Nadda said adding the program and interventions under the umbrella of National Health Mission have played a very crucial role in this.
He said that over the last few years, a host of new initiatives have been undertaken under the Family Planning program such as expanded choice of contraceptives and Mission Parivar Vikas in 146 High Priority Districts (HPDs) in the seven high focus states. As part of the Mission Parivar Vikas program, the focus is on creating awareness about the expanding choices of family planning and on ensuring that the services are easily accessible by the people, he stated.
Family planning logistics management information system (FP-LMIS), a comprehensive 360 degree media campaign including a dedicated FP webpage, radio chat shows etc have also been taken up in an effort to take services down to the last mile. The workshop was jointly organized by the Ministry of Health and Jansankhya Sthirta Kosh. PTI
