Lok Sabha Question No. 3910 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-24
Subject: Sterilization
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., R. PARTHIPAN, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SUDHEER GUPTA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, HARISH CHANDRA MEENA, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, C. MAHENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3910 th

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 MARCH, 2017

## STERILIZATION

## 3910. SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI R. PARTHIPAN:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI HARISH MEENA:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether female sterilization has been one of the common forms of family planning in India for decades, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the country leads the world in the sterilization of women, if so, the reasons behind choosing this option over others for family planning, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there is lack of adequate m dical infrastructure to conduct sterilizations in a safe environment, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has noticed lack/irregularities in pre - operative procedures and post -operative care in sterilization camps organised in various parts of the country;
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the reasons  therefor  along  with  the  corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (f) the measures taken by the Government to ensure that women receive proper medical care and that sterilizations are carried out without endangering their lives?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a): Yes. Female sterilization is one of  the common forms of family planning in India The Family Planning Programme in India is voluntary in nature and the Govern ment promotes all family planning choices including female sterilization equally. It is the prerogative of to choose a family planning method as per their reproductive rights and Government provides the services free of cost in all public hea lth and accredited private/ NGO facilities as per the demand.

(b): No, India does not lead the world in the sterilization of women . The share of sterilization for various countries with similar demographics is placed at Annexure.

(c) to (f): Health i s a state subject and various states are in different stages of develo in terms of infrastructure. However quality in sterilization services is a dynamic pro new technologies and protocols for infection prevention being incorporated from time to time to improve service quality.

Hon'ble  Supreme  court  too  has stressed  the  need  to  strengthen  the  Primary  Health Centers in a time bound manner for this purpose in its recent judgement in October 2016.

The Government has accordingly issued detailed guidelines with respect to preoperative measures  and  post - operative  follow -ups,  also  incorporating  the  directions  of  the  Hon'ble Supreme Court, to all States/UTs for taking strategic actions in this regard.

The steps taken by the Government among others i nclude:

- Updation of guidelines on standards and quality assurance in sterilization services.
- Dissemination of the standards to all States/UTs of India through workshops conducted i states for  all stakeholders including program managers and service providers.
- Establishment  and  strengthening  of  State and  District  Quality  Assurance  committees  for monitoring quality of sterilization services.
- Meetings from time to time with health secretaries of Sta tes/UTs on action taken report for maintaining quality in family planning services.
- Regular supportive supervision visits and tracking through Health Management Informat System.

## Contraceptive Prevalence Rate for Sterilization in various coun tries

| Countries          |   Female sterilization |
|--------------------|------------------------|
| Dominican Republic |                   41   |
| India              |                   39   |
| Puerto Rico        |                   36.6 |
| Mexico             |                   36.3 |
| Colombia           |                   34.4 |
| El Salvador        |                   34.4 |
| Nicaragua          |                   29.3 |
| Brazil             |                   28.4 |
| China              |                   28.2 |
| Costa Rica         |                   27.7 |
| Thailand           |                   26.7 |
| Marshal Islands    |                   25.5 |
| Ecuador            |                   25.2 |
| Cuba               |                   24.5 |
| Panama             |                   24.1 |
| Honduras           |                   22.3 |
| USA                |                   21.8 |