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| Edited By: Smitha R |Source: DNA |Updated: Sep 03, 2012, 05:32 PM IST
Tribal men, it seems, are more willing to go under the knife to limit their family.
Data collected by Centre for Health Education Training and Nutrition Awareness (CHETNA) for 17 districts has shown that highest number of male sterilisations has been achieved in districts with considerably high tribal population.
Between 2007 and 2012, 333 men in 43 villages of Dangs district underwent vasectomy (male sterilisation). This number stood at 142 males in Panchmahals while Valsad recorded 63 such procedures.
Of the 17 districts, at least 10 are such where the number of men undergoing sterilisation is in the single digit. (see table for more details).
The male sterilisation programme is part of the mother NGO programme of the Centre. Under this programme, NGOS are roped in to ensure effective implementation of various health policies. CHETNA has been resource centre for various other NGOs in 22 districts of the state.
Smita Bajpai, programme officer with CHETNA said that vasectomy is one of the areas covered under the programme. “So far we have seen that it is the tribal districts that have shows good performance,” said Bajpai. On what could be the reason for the same, Bajpai said that social barriers among tribals are lower.
“Non-tribal societies happen to be highly male-dominated when compared to tribals. The barriers for the latter are relatively low. In male-dominated societies, sterilisation is seen as something that the woman should undergo,” said Bajpai.
Coordinator for the programme in Dangs, Dr Bipin Parmar said the other reason could be that tribals get lured by compensation given by the government. “Men who undergo vasectomy get Rs1,100. It is a bit less for women. Most of the tribals happen to be poor and 40% of them migrate to other places in search for work. Hence the compensation part also attracts them,” said Dr Parmar. He said they train health workers not only in understanding family planning programme, but also how to counsel patients, particularly men, to undergo such operations.
