Dimapur, July 24 (EMN): Coinciding with the World Population Day, District Health Society, Kiphire launched Population Stabilization Fortnight on July 11 at the CMO office and culminated on July 24. The ‘Family Health Mela Fortnight’ was carried out under the theme “New wave, new believe; Family Development through complete responsibility.”
DPO (RCH-UIP), Dr. Rebecca Y Sema, in her address said family planning is a necessity and an important key for a healthy and happy family. “We should focus on quality and not quantity. By keeping a small family, parents can support and nurture their children physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically,” she stated.
She also highlighted the activities to be carried out during the Population Stabilisation Fortnight and urged the participants to carry the message of family planning far and wide in their best capacities.
The services provided during the fortnight are IPC sessions on importance of family planning, counseling, IUCD insertion and female sterilization, free distribution of condoms, mala-n, EC pills and UPT kits.
During the fortnight programme, female sterilisation camp was also conducted at District Hospital, Kiphire and Community Health Centre, Pungro by medical staff led by Dr. Yetovi (gynaecologist).
Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted in 14 villages of Kiphire district where the attendees raised questions on FP and misconceptions of having side effects through the methods were also cleared. The target audiences for the FGDs were eligible couples.
The topics of discussion during the FGDs included-importance of family planning, methods of family planning, importance of birth spacing, maternal health, child health and immunization and misconceptions of family planning methods.
Dr. Rebecca also sensitise young mothers on the importance of Child Immunization and its benefits. While encouraging the FGD participants to avail the IUCD treatment in the health centres, she also assured them that there are no side effects involved.
Setsao, BEE and Muchui, FWA appealed to all the visited villages during the team visit of the IEC personnels to spread the word and avail the free treatment during the Family Health Mela Fortnight provided in all health units.
They also spoke on the hazards of maternal mortality rate after the fifth child and urged the participants to ideally maintain a gap of 2-3 years after each birth.
Media Officer, Medonguno M. Chasie, shared her experience of growing up in a big family.
She was of the opinion that it becomes difficult for the parents to give equal love and attention to each child in a big family and therefore affects the psychology of the children immensely. She reiterated that family planning has become very important at present.
