It has been over a month since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown across India, forcing people to stay indoors to contain the spread of coronavirus. While most people are following the restrictions, the government has some concerns regarding another problem, which is, population explosion.
The health department in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district has started home delivery of condoms and other family planning kits in every village. The kits are being delivered by Asha workers door to door.
Since all family members are at home during the lockdown, fears are arising that people might not be able to do family planning properly, and therefore the workers of health department have been instructed to distribute the kits to every household.
The officials are concerned that a lack of recreational activities during the lockdown might lead to a possible rise in the birth rate in the district during this period.
Family Welfare ACMO Virendra Kumar says that there is a threat of increasing population during the lockdown. Regarding this, instructions have been given to distribute family planning kits.
Members of NGOs along with Asha health care workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs) have been instructed to distribute condoms and other contraceptives to every household here. Alongside, they are also spreading awareness of the benefits of family planning and various population control measures available to them.
About 30 thousand condoms have been distributed so far during the lockdown, Ballia’s Assistant CMO Dr Ballinder Prasad said. He also informed the authorities are worried that family planning should not become an entertainment tool for the husband and wife imprisoned in the house.
The campaign to distribute family planning kit is not new and it has already been running for a long time as part of the government’s population control program, the ACMO added.
