Growing population a matter of great concern: Azad

NEW DELHI: Voicing concern over growing population which poses several challenges on economic and development fronts, India today called for South-South cooperation to redefi ne strategies in introduction of newer contraceptives, technical protocols and replicate the successful schemes in population stabilisation. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azab said India has been making efforts to improving health and reducing fertility for sustainable development ever since the launch of the world’s fi rst national family planning programme in 1952. He said since then the Indian family planning programme has evolved and has recently been repositioned to not only achieve population stabilisation but also to promote reproductive health and reduce maternal mortality, infant and child mortality and morbidity. He exhued the confi dence that national population policy would improve healthcare infrastructure and attain population stabilisation by 2045. The Minister was speaking on the re-launch of Family Planning campaign of the Kenya government during the three-day meeting of Partners in Population Development (PDD) in Nairobi. Mr Azad added that the focus in India has been to make special efforts to generate awareness and persuade people to have small family sizes for the betterment of the health of the mother, child and the whole family. ‘’For this, focus is on providing fi xed day family planning services at health facilities and easier access to contraceptives. ‘’We have now launched a new initiative under which, contraceptives, both male and female, shall be delivered free of cost and door to door by the community health workers in high focus areas,’’ he added. Among others, Bangladesh Health and Family Minister A F M Ruhal Haque, China National Population and Family Planning Commission Vice-Minister Cui Li and 24 other partner countries of PDD attended the occasion.