The Hindu : Front Page : Low response to vasectomy, says study

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007
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Low response to vasectomy, says study

Shastry V. Mallady

Health nurses and other staff are motivating men to opt for family planning
Awareness programmes are conducted at village level, besides counselling

MADURAI: The subject of family planning has become more of a ‘female planning’ with very less involvement of men opting for the simple surgery, if the latest statistics of Madurai district are any indication.

A report prepared by the Health Department for April and May this year shows that out of 661 FP operations carried out in 11 blocks, the number of vasectomies is just seven compared to 654 women who have undergone tubectomy.

Women who were compelled to undergo family planning surgery in the Primary Health Centres included many anaemic women, fragile mothers and those who had to undergo the operation because of the unwillingness of the spouse.

“Even though the Health Department officials are trying to tell men that vasectomy carries no risk at all and does not cause any impotency, they are not coming forward,” says A. Palanichamy, Deputy Director of Health Services.

Last year statistics too show a similar picture. Out of a total of 3,500 family planning surgeries performed between April 2006 and March 2007, it is women all the way.

According to P. Vasanthi, District Maternal and Child Health Officer, the village health nurses and other local health staff are now trying to motivate men to opt for family planning procedures rather than forcing their wives.

To promote male sterilisation, awareness programmes are conducted at village level. Besides counselling and providing banners, posters and other material are also distributed to convey the message.

Tracing the reasons for low male response, the Deputy Director says that men from villages are demanding a higher cash incentive from the Government. Now, they are given Rs. 500 for undergoing vasectomy, a procedure that lasts for 10 to 20 minutes.

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