Pune males pass birth control buck to fair sex

In a press note issued yesterday, Kapoor stated that the municipal administration proposed to adopt a three-pronged strategy to ensure effective implementation of the family planning programme during the current financial year.

The thrust would be on better coordination between municipal hospitals and those run by government and private trusts. The administration would also be laying thrust on greater participation by non-government organisations (NGOs) in implementation of the programme.

Instead of continuing with the target-oriented method, Kapoor has devised a three-point programme laying emphasis on educating the menfolk, reaching out to the slum population and ensuring involvement of various government and non-government agencies in propagating and implementing the programme.

To begin with, Kapoor has ordered area-wise surveys of all 425 slums in the city to enlist couples for the family planning programme. The surveys are to be completed within a month after which intensive drives would be launched to educate the people and motivate them to participate in the programme.

Stress would be laid upon introducing women in slums to various spacing methods. Instead of waiting for them to reach the hospitals, efforts would be made to reach them at their doorsteps, according to Kapoor.

The family planning programme would be linked with the civic literacy drive to reach out to the menfolk, who it appears carry the wrong notion that birth control is the responsibility of the fair sex.