New Delhi: India will soon launch Mission Parivar Vikas to improve family planning services in seven states where the combined total fertility rate (TFR), or the number of children a woman has in her lifetime) constitutes 44% of the country’s population.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare will launch the programme in 145 high-focus districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Assam.
“The main objective of ‘Mission Parivas Vikas is to accelerate access to high quality family planning choices based on information, reliable services and supplies within a rights-based framework,” read the statement from the health ministry.
These districts were identified based on their total fertility rate and sterilization performance among other measures taken for family planning, for immediate, special and accelerated efforts. The target of the government is to reach the replacement level fertility goals of 2.1 by the year 2025.
Recent government data shows that these 145 districts have TFR of more than or equal to 3 (56% of the 261 districts in the 7 High Focus States), and are home to 28% of India’s population, which is about 33 crore. These states are home to 22% of India’s protected couples and 40% of India’s couples with unmet contraceptive needs.
These districts have a substantial impact on maternal and child health indicators, as about 25-30% of maternal deaths and 50% of infant deaths occur in these districts alone. Moreover, 115 of these districts (79%) have high percentage of adolescent mothers.
{{/usCountry}}These districts have a substantial impact on maternal and child health indicators, as about 25-30% of maternal deaths and 50% of infant deaths occur in these districts alone. Moreover, 115 of these districts (79%) have high percentage of adolescent mothers.
{{/usCountry}}“The key strategic focus of this initiative will be on improving access to contraceptives through delivering assured services, dovetailing with new promotional schemes, ensuring commodity security, building capacity (service providers), creating an enabling environment along with close monitoring and implementation,” read the statement further.
The government will implement the programme in all the 145 districts at one go.