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Source: The post is based on the article “India has achieved replacement level fertility: Union Minister” published in The Hindu on 28th July 2022.
What is the News?
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has addressed the National Family Planning Summit, 2022.
The Minister also unveiled the India Family Planning 2030 vision document. The document focuses on strategies to overcome teenage childbearing, lack of male participation in awareness programmes, migration and lack of access to contraceptives.
What is the National Family Planning Summit, 2022?
Organized by: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Theme: “Sustaining efforts, Steering Partnerships, Shaping Vision in Family Planning – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas & Sabka Vikas”.
What are the key highlights from the Minister’s address to the summit?
Firstly, India was the first country in the world to have launched a National Programme for Family Planning in 1952.
Secondly, India has achieved replacement level fertility with as many as 31 states/ UTs having achieved a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1 or less.
Note: Replacement level fertility represents the level at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, thus leading to zero population growth if the level sustained over a sufficiently long period
Thirdly, modern contraceptive usage in India has increased substantially to 56.5% (NFHS 5).
Fourthly, Mission Parivar Vikas(MPV) 2016 has given further impetus to the National Family Planning Program. Under the scheme, innovative strategies like the distribution of Nayi Pehel kits, Saas Bahu Sammelan and Saarthi vans are helping to reach out to the community and initiate dialogues on Family Planning, healthy birth spacing and the importance of small families.
What should be the strategy of India in Family Planning?
Firstly, although India has achieved replacement level fertility, there is still a significant population in the reproductive age group who must remain at the centre of our intervention efforts.
Secondly, India’s focus has traditionally been on the supply side, i.e. the providers and delivery systems. Now the time is to focus on the demand side which includes family, community and society.
Lastly, the pool of family planning service providers should assume a significant role in enhancing our capacity to deliver our commitment under FP2030, through knowledge, skills and innovative services.
