‘Family planning is the only key to controlling Population explosion’
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
Bhubaneswa,July 12: The ‘World Population Day’ is observed on 11th July all over the world. It is being observed all across the country as well as in Odisha every year with a focus on addressing Family Planning and Population Issues. This year ‘Wolrd Population Day’ has been celebrated by Health & Family Welfare Deptt, Govt of Odisha at Jaydev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar. Principal Secretary, H&FW Deptt, Govt of Odisha Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal, IAS graced the occasion as chief guest. There is a huge need for public awareness about family planning to control population explosions. Family planning is key to controlling population growth. So this year the World Population day slogan is being adhered to that ‘Parivar Niyojan Aapanantu, Unnati ra Nutan Adhaya Lekhantu’.
Malkangiri & Raygada for family planning service, Deogargh & Jagatsignpur for MPA (Antara) acceptance, Malkangiri & Subarnapur for IUCD acceptance, Khurda & Nuapada for implementation of FPLMIS in family planning logistics and supply chain program, and Khurda & Ganjam have been awarded for DVLMs for implementation of FPLMIS for the year 2021-22. Similarly, Lifetime achievement award for family planning is conferred to Dr. Sadananda Panigrahi, Dr Madan Mohan Mohapatra, Dr. Sapan Kumar Dinda, Dr. Anup Kumar Ghose, Dr Muralidhar Padhi, Dr Deepak Kuam Dehury.
On this occasion, Director FW Deptt, Dr Bijay Kumar Panigrahy, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Dr Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, Director, Health Service, Dr Niranja Mishra, Director, public health, Dr. Murali Dhar Padhi, Addl Director, Health & Family welfare were present.
As part of this program, a month-long campaign as ‘Population Stabilisation Fortnight’ or ‘Janasankhya Sthirata Pakshya’ from 11th to 24th July, 2022 which was preceded by a ‘Mobilisation Fortnight from 27th June to 10th July 2022’ in the entire state.
To take the initiative forward, a number of measures have been undertaken by the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha to improve the program outcomes in the state, some of which are:
Popularising ‘Parivar Kalyan Diwas’on fixed days wherein all the family planning services including counseling are being made available to the eligible clients in most of the health facilities both at district and sub-district levels which has widened the service coverage network.
Going for extensive capacity building of the service providers and effective deployment of the available family planning manpower for making quality sterilization, MPA and IUCD services easily available to the target audience.
Emphasizing on promoting male engagement in family planning as an attempt to reduce gender disparities and motivating men to take up greater and more active roles in reproductive health-related decisions and practices.
Deptt. of H & FW has implemented state-specific supply system innovation namely “Family Planning Logistics Management Information System- FPLMIS” an online-based System that has effectively managed to streamline the supply system from state-level up to the sub-center level in an attempt to ensure contraceptive security to all the target couples. Buoyed by the success of this intervention, measures are being undertaken to scale it up in urban areas under NUHM (National Urban Health Mission) programme.
Strengthening the delivery of Newer Contraceptives {Injectibe namely Antara and Centchroman namely Chhaya}to the eligible couples as part of the initiative to expand the basket of choices for the target audience both at the facility and community level.
Focusing on promoting Post Partum Family Planning (PPFP) Services among mothers delivering babies in the Govt health facilities wherein optimally utilising the opportunity of high institutional deliveries thereby providing more and better options to eligible mothers to regulate their fertility.
As a part of the State Government’s commitment to protecting the ‘Reproductive Rights’ of the people, comprehensive measures have been undertaken in ensuring ‘Quality of Care’ while providing Family Planning Services in our Health Facilities. Orientation of health care providers including medic and paramedic staff has been undertaken as mandated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
This year’s plan includes various interventions to increase the numbers of ‘fixed day static centres’ so as to expand the ambit of entire range of family planning services to promote both spacing and limiting methods, which ultimately contributes to population stabilisation. It also includes rolling out family planning counseling and contraceptive services in all functional Urban Primary Health centers (UPHC) under NUHM. This will cater to the family planning needs of the urban poor living mostly in slums and outreach pockets.
The effective implementation of flagship family planning schemes namely ‘Home Delivery of Contraceptives by ASHA at the Doorstep of the Beneficiaries’ (HDCA) and ‘Ensuring Spacing at Birth’ (ESB) indeed helped ASHA already establishing herself as an effective community based family planning counselor who not only promotes informed choices but also addresses the ‘needs of young and newly married couples’ who constitutes a sizeable population in the reproductive age group.
Total fertility rate (TFR), the most important indicator that decides the success of the family planning programme and population stabilisation initiatives of a region/state/country has significantly declined in Odisha to 1.8 (NFH-5) which is lower than National Average (2.0).
As part of the state initiative to acknowledge the service providers and the implementing task force for their efforts, Deptt of H&FW has honoured the achievers for their outstanding achievements on this occasion at the state-level ceremony in the following areas.
