Phones, sarees help Jhalawar top in family planning again
district stood first in family planning in Rajasthan for the second year in a row, recording more sterilisations than the target through effective monitoring and handing out smartphones and sarees as sops.
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s home district had topped the state in the financial year 2015-16 with 8410 sterilisations against the target of 8347 (99.25%).
In the 2016-17 financial year, the district registered 8795 sterilisations, exceeding the target of 8703 (102%), said Jhalawar chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Sajid Khan.
“In all, 270 male sterilisations (non-scalpel vasectomy) and 8525 female sterilisations (laparoscopic tubectomy) were done in 2016-17.” said Khan.
“This is for the first time a district has grabbed top position in meeting sterilisation targets in the state for two consecutive years.”
On the measures adopted to achieve the first rank, Khan said, “District collector Dr Jitendra Kumar Soni took daily meetings with medical health department officials to monitor family planning camps. Every day, he sought information about sterilisations and camps from field staff through WhatsApp.”
The department focused on carrying out sterilisation of couples having two kids -- 70% of the serialised were such couples.
“The department attained 92% of the target in February; the scheme for giving android 4G smartphones and sarees was launched in March to push sterilisations to meet the target in the last month of the 2016-17 financial year,” Khan said.
In March, smartphones were given to 200 men who opted for sterilisations and sarees to around 250 women in Jhalawar district. “Non-android phones were given to men last year (2016), but this year 4G smartphones were handed out.”
MK Foundation, a non-government organisation, funded the purchase of smartphones and sarees. A sum of ₹2.50 lakh was spent in giving phones and sarees this year, Khan said.
“The men and women who underwent sterlisations were also given a cash award of ₹2000 and ₹1400 under the state government scheme.”
Apart from sterilisations, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD), postpartum intrauterine contraceptive Device (PPIUCD), oral pills and condoms were promoted to take Jhalawar to the top position, the CMHO said. “We owe the success to paramedical staff, doctors and surgeons of the district.”
On the World Population Day on Tuesday, chief minister Raje and state health minister Kalicharan Sarraf will felicitate the Jhalawar collector, CMHO, and deputy CMHO Dr ML Meena in the state capital.