The Hindu : National : Women groups oppose bid to introduce `hazardous contraceptives'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 30, 2004

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National

Women groups oppose bid to introduce `hazardous contraceptives'

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI, OCT. 29 . Women groups are up in arms against renewed attempts to introduce hormonal injectable contraceptives for women in the government's national family planning programme. They have opposed government participation in a workshop organised by a NGO, Parivar Sewa Sanstha, to expand the basket of choices by including the hormonal injectable contraceptives, net en and depo provera, despite being hazardous to women's health.

They have demanded a ban on injectables whose long-term side-effects on Indian women have not been studied.

Addressing a joint press conference here today, Brinda Karat of the All-India Democratic Women's Association, Sarojini N.B of Sama Resource Group for Women and Health, Laxmi Murthy of Saheli and Amit Sengupta of the Delhi Science Forum said the injectables were hazardous under any circumstance.

The Parivar Sewa Sanstha also held a press conference today to state that they had invited the women's organisation to the workshop to "ascertain their views''.

According to Sudha Tiwari of the Sanstha, injectables were in use in 130 countries and though they came with side effects such as "excessive menstrual bleeding, irregular periods and weight gain'', the benefits outweighed them. Only the cost was a discouraging factor, she admitted.

Studies have shown that in the U.S. 70 per cent women have abandoned injectables such as depo provera, within the first year, said Ms. Karat and Dr. Sengupta.

The NGO meeting was organised in collaboration with the Government of India, the UNFPA and the Packard Foundation through the Population Foundation of India. Over 60 women's groups have endorsed a memorandum to the Union Health Minister, A. Ramadoss, urging him to "reject the interests of private profit and work instead to formulate a policy that ensures overall good for the health of women and their progeny''.

In India depo provera is available over the counter, in the private sector. "The Drug Controller of India has done no monitoring of over the counter sales and the strong lobby of powerful pharmaceutical companies is waiting to invade India,'' Ms. Karat said.

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