Efforts on to bring down total fertility rate in Bihar

Patna: The State Health Society along with Population Service International (PSI), India, organised a state-level consultation meeting on strengthening the urban health and family welfare programmes.

During the meeting, the stress was made on providing access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, especially family planning information, and ensuring that sexually active partners use any method of contraception.

While addressing the meeting, state programme officer (family planning), Dr Sajjad said the efforts were being made to bring down the total fertility rate (TFR) in Bihar, which at present is 3, while that of the country's average is 2.1. The TFR is defined as the average number of children that would be born to a woman in her lifetime.

He further added they were also expecting growth of modern contraceptive prevalence rate in Bihar, which means use of at least one contraceptive method by any of the partners as awareness in this regard was being created.

PSI executive director Mukesh Sharma discussed the approach of his organisation towards improving access to contraceptive information and services to the maximum possible number of eligible couples.

PSI India programme director Hitesh Sahni said it was a big challenge to improve access and information on available health services among the urban poor.

"This can only be ensured with better coordination,” Sahni said.