More men in India should consider having a vasectomy for birth control because it is more convenient than the female procedure, a government regional official has said.
Bhopal district collector Nikunj Srivastava said educating men and raising awareness were the best way to make family planning more effective, as opposed to coercion.
In light of the recent Family Planning Week on July 11-17, Mr Srivastava tried to dispel the misinformation surrounding male vasectomy.
Only around 800 men had the procedure in the Bhopal district during the week but Mr Srivastava said the surgery will now be performed across the district's hospitals and clinics throughout the second week of every month as well as on a specified day each week.
A cash incentive is being offered to ASHA workers, ANMs and NGOs for successfully implementing effective family planning.
Srivastava said undue pressure on health workers hampers their efficiency, although he added that staff at clinics or hospitals not promoting family planning may be disciplined.
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