Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, July 11
With the world’s growing population exerting pressure on communities and local resources, an effective measure to curbing the growth is family planning, citizens have been told. The message was the thematic point of reference from local administrators of Kohima, Longleng and Mokokchung, and Zunheboto districts during programs that were conducted on Saturday in the districts to mark World Population Day.
A program marking World Population Day was observed in Imkongliba District Memorial Hospital in Mokokchung town on July 11. Mokokchung’s deputy commissioner, Sushil Kumar Patel, was the chief guest of the event.
Senior medical officers, doctors, nurses and allied health workers from Mokokchung district attended the event.
During the function, Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel launched the program ‘Population Stabilization Fortnight’ as a part of the World Population Day.
Addressing the event, Sushil Kumar Patel asserted that unless population is stabilized, the quality of life of a people or community will not improve. Informing that Asian countries contribute 60 percent of the world’s population that include India, Patel advised the people to engage family planning and birth control programs to address population growth.While hinting that water scarcity might be due to population growth, Patel urged for more conservation efforts as well as an allied measure. ‘Population will increase but resources will be limited’, he said and called upon the Medical department to play a role to ‘stabilize population’ of the state.
Chief Medical Officer of the district, Dr SS Akaba Longchar also spoke during the occasion.
After the first program, the Mokokchung administrator launched exhibition stalls which showcased services and information about family planning to visitors.
The ‘Population Stabilization Fortnight’ at Mokokchung will go on till the 24th of July. During the event, health workers and health activists will visit houses to educate the masses about family planning, birth control, contraceptives etc. They would also be advising pregnant mothers to deliver their child in government recognized healthcare institutions.
Kohima district
The establishment of the Chief Medical Officer of Kohima district and members of the District Health Society of the department of Health & Family Welfare observed World Population Day on July 10 with the theme “The Key to Happy Family, Three years spacing between two children”.
During the technical session, conducted by Dr. Avile Zao, the health workers were given an outline about the objectives of World Population Day and the allied event, the Population Stabilization Fortnight.
Dr. Zao informed that the year’s World Population Day has been to be divided into two segments namely the Mobilization Fortnight from 1st July to the 10th, and the Population Stabilization Fortnight from the 11th to the 24th July. The second segment will be called “Family Health Mela”.
She informed that so-named “advocacy and awareness” campaigns would be carried out in all the blocks and villages in Kohima district. The campaign would focus on educating the public about family planning methods, counseling and motivation of eligible couples for availing family planning services including awareness on sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Zao also said that Reproductive Child Health activities will be carried out in selected health units to observe Population Fortnight. The activities will include distribution of pamphlets, leaflets and banners and posters in all the villages of the district. The posters and written publicity materials would be in local dialects.
World Population Fortnight was observed in Zunheboto town in the district’s main hospital on July 11.
Sub divisional officer (civil) of Zunheboto, Shinavas, was chief guest of the event.
Speaking about the importance of Family Planning, Additional Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. John Sweyievisa, emphasized on family planning. He urged citizens to “create awareness on the benefit of having a small family with special focus on various family planning methods”.
In his speech chief guest Shinavas encouraged the citizens to utilize their resources ‘in good ways’ and with ‘proper application of mind’. He said that investing in the young people today by promoting healthy habits and ensuring education and access to health services and social security coverage will improve the lives of the future generations.
The event was preceded by Mobilization Fortnight which was conducted from June 27 and till July 10. During the event information about population control and activities to generate a ‘demand’ for family planning was undertaken.
During the Population Stabilization Fortnight, from the 11 till the 24th of July, citizens can avail free services for various family planning measures such as vasectomy and counseling for free from the healthcare units.
The District Health Society of Longleng also observed World population Day on July 11 in the District Hospital of Longleng.
During the main program, health official Dr. Imtiwabang Aier spoke on the theme regarding having a small family as being essential in the modern times. Family planning has many advantages, he said. It is not only about using contraceptives but also about having limited children ‘with proper spacing’ in order to give them a better future, the medical official said. He added that the problems and needs of the people can also be identified by conducting ‘IPC’ at different levels to ‘give them knowledge and make them aware of services available’.
A “Family Health Mela fortnight” and a “family planning camp” will be carried out at in all the health units in the district.
To mobilize the people, health workers will be visiting villages and interact with citizens, promote family planning, and highlight female sterilization services. The sterilization services will be provided in the district hospital. Condoms, contraceptives pills, posters and leaflets written in local dialect will also be distributed to all the respective health units to be given to citizens.
