Haryana launches injectable contraceptive project

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar yesterday launched Project Salamati, making it the first state to implement the use of injectable contraceptives as a family planning measure.

The contraceptives would be available free of cost at all primary health centres, community health centres, sub-divisional and district hospitals. The project was being implemented by Haryana health department, in association with Pathfinder International - a non-profit dealing with family planning and reproductive health.

The project had been initially implemented in nine health blocks of four districts of the state, which included four health blocks in Palwal, three in Mewat, Kurali block in Faridabad and Khor block in Rewari.

Khattar said with the introduction of another option among the family planning measures in the form of an injectable contraceptive at government health institutions, Haryana had achieved a "major milestone" at the national level.

The districts had been chosen as a pilot project, as maternal and infant mortality rates in these districts were higher as compared to other districts.

An outlay of Rs 3,916.94 crore had been earmarked for Health and Family Welfare in the year 2016-17 as compared to Rs 2,857.28 crore in the year 2015-16, thus showing an increase of 37.1 per cent, Khattar said.

He added, the highest priority of the government was to bring down the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).

He added that as a result of the steps taken by the present state government for population control, the total fertility rate had fallen to 2.1 per cent, besides registering a significant decrease in MMR and IMR.

He referred to the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' programme launched by prime minister Narendra Modi at the national level from Panipat, and said that the programme was "bearing fruitful results as the sex ratio in the state has improved significantly."