Jaipur rural among 7 worst performers in family planning

Jaipur: City’s rural area (Jaipur-II) has a distinction of being one of the seven worst performing places in family planning measures of the state.


Health department’s recently released report stated that Dausa, Kota, Jaipur-II, Pratapgarh, Bundi, Jhalawar, Alwar and Tonk have performed worst collectively in male sterilization, IUD and Antara injection (injectable contraceptives). National health mission (NHM) director (state) Navin Jain said, “Ganganagar, Jaisalmer and Sikar are at the top of best performing districts in family planning.”

Eligible couples in Ganganagar, Jaisalmer and Sikar have adopted family planning measures for population stabilisation. The health department is promoting Antara, the new injectable contraceptive launched on July 11, 2017. After taking its dose, the injection prevents pregnancy for three months. In a year, four injections are administered. It is a new form of contraceptive, which is an intramuscular injection. The major concern of the health department is the rate of drop out of women using Antara injections. According to health department’s figures, till May 2018, over 26,400 women had received the first dose of Antara. But, half of them did not take the second dose.

The health department has pulled up the districts which are not performing well in encouraging family planning. Jain said that he has directed all the worst performing districts in family planning to achieve the targets. He said that axillary nurse midwives should prepare a line listing of eligible couples and encourage them to opt for family planning measures. Also, directions have been issued to reach out to the eligible couples through spreading awareness about the benefit of family planning.

With a lot needed to be done for population stabilisation, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers have been given CUG mobile phones. Through CUG phones, they get required directions from the health department officials. For population stabilisation, the health department has identified 20 districts which have highest total fertility rate (TFR) in the state. In these districts, intensified campaigns have been launched for encouraging population stabilisation.