Indian population shows stabilisation
India is working towards achieving population stabilisation. Speaking on World Population Day, Dr Abhijit Das, director of Center for Social Justice (CHSJ), said that the overall contraceptive usage has increased from 41 per cent in 1992-93 (NFHS1 — pre-ICPD) to 56 per cent in 2005-06 (NFHS 3). For rural India this increase has been from 37 per cent to 53 per cent.
Dr Das highlighted that the total fertility rate (TFR) has declined from 3.4 in 1992-93 to 2.7 in 2005-06. The total wanted fertility rate overall for the country is 1.9. This indicates that overall the desire is for small families.
It is not surprising that unmet needs still continue to be high with an overall unmet need of 13 per cent though in the BIMARU states like UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, it continues to be over 20 per cent. This indicates that a large number of couples are unable to get the services to meet their needs.
Contraceptive use is highest in Himachal Pradesh (73 per cent) and West Bengal (71 per cent), with female sterilisation accounting for two-thirds of contraceptive use.
Statistics indicate that women are more likely to use contraception if they already have a son. For example, 77 per cent of women with two sons but no daughters use a method of family planning, compared with 53 per cent of women with two daughters but no sons. More than half the women who get sterilised have the operation before they reach 26 years of age. Early sterilisation is particularly common in Andhra Pradesh, where the median age of sterilisation is just 23 years.
The most commonly used spacing methods are condoms and the rhythm method (each used by 5 per cent of currently married women). Male sterilisation remains the least used method. It was, therefore, felt that male volunteers should be engaged to work along side the ASHA so that they can counsel young men on contraceptive devices.
Sharing the Tamil Nadu experience on population stabilisation, Dr T.K. Sundari Ravindran said, “The fertility reduction is one of several factors contributing to achieving the women’s empowerment and development. Fertility transition needs to be accompanied by specific investments for improving women’s health, including SRH and rights and poverty reduction,” said Dr Sundari.
Mr J.C. Pant, former secretary, ministry of health and family welfare, GOI, and currently member of the PFI governing board, highlighted the importance of the target-free approach adopted in the Eighties, which is as relevant today. The emphasis needs to be on plans made from the village upwards which would make the health services much more relevant.
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