Number of tubectomy, vasectomy procedures reduce in Chamarajanagar

MYSURU: In addition to wreaking havoc with blood and organ donation, the prevalence of Covid-19 has slammed the brakes on vasectomy and tubectomy procedures in Chamarajanagar district.
Only 692, that is 17% of the 3,972 vasectomy and tubectomy procedures it was slated to complete in 2020, while 3,071 of these operations were performed in 2019.
However, more and more women are having infants delivered at hospitals, with the number of children being born at home declining to single digits.Although the number of deliveries in hospitals between April and October this year was lower than what was recorded for the corresponding period last year – 5,971 in 2020 against 8,486 in ’19 – the number of babies delivered at home was only nine this year.
Chamarajanagar district health officer Dr MC Ravi said that the family planning programme had been adversely impacted owing to the pandemic. “The state government was issued directions to stop these procedures during the lockdown owing to suspension of transport services, not to mention the need to restrict movement of people to arrest the spread of the pandemic,” Dr Ravi told TOI.
The order was subsequently revised in November, and authorities across districts were given the green signal to continue these procedures. “ASHA and health workers have been instructed to hold monthly camps at the District Maternity Ward, community health and primary health centres,” Dr Ravi added.
However, the Chamarajanagar DHO said that most men continued to labour under the delusion of vasectomy leading to a loss in their virility or depleting their strength. “Only one man underwent vasectomy this year, while there were two cases last year,” he said.
The government’s offer of Rs 1,100 as an incentive for men volunteering for vasectomy too has failed to incite the response the authorities would ideally like. “Vasectomy is a simpler and safer procedure than the tubectomy operation that women undergo. In fact, in the case of non-scalpel vasectomy, there are no stitches too. In many cases, the women themselves dissuade their husbands from volunteering for the operation since they believe it will make them weaker. The health department conducts a camp where men can undergo vasectomy free of cost once a month,” Dr Ravi added.