Kamal Nath govt issues sterilisation target to MP health staff; 'at least 1 man, or else'

The Madhya Pradesh Government has released a circular urging men to mobilise at least one man for sterilisation in the year 2019-20, failing which they could lose their jobs.

The circular which is solely addressed to male multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs) states that their salaries would be withheld and that they would be compulsorily retired if they failed to do so. The officials have stated that this was done because the participation of men in the family planning programme was very low and that it was usually the women who underwent sterilisation processes. 

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The circular states that all MPHWs should mobilise at least five to 10 “willing beneficiaries” when camps are held in districts. The recently released National Family Health Survey-4 report had recorded that only 0.5 per cent men were opting for sterilisation in the state.

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Male sterilization numbers on a steady decline

MP’s National Health Mission (NHM) took this report into cognizance and has therefore asked top district officials and Chief Medical and Health Officers (CHMOs) to identify male workers with “zero work output’’ and apply the “no work no pay’’ principle if they don’t log at least one case of male sterilisation by the end of the month. 

Read: MP: Forty one women made to sleep on floor in Gyaraspur PHC after sterilisation surgery

The National Family Health Survey-4 report recorded that the number of men opting for sterilisation has been declining in the MP over the last five years. In the last three years, the numbers were on a sharp decline from 7,270, 3,719 to 2,925.  For 2019-20, the number was 3,397, as on February 20, 2020, compared to 3.34 lakh women. 

Officials said the decline in male and female sterilisation figures began in 2015-16 when the courts ruled against a coercive approach. The idea behind this latest initiative is to use persuasive strategies instead of coercion and get males to understand the importance of sterilisation process.  

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