Peren, Phek, and Mokokchung districts observed World Population Day with campaigns focusing on family planning and maternal health.
DIMAPUR — World Population Day was observed across Peren, Phek, and Mokokchung districts on Saturday on the theme “Healthy timing and spacing between pregnancies for well-being of mother and child and to prevent unintended pregnancies”.
Peren: In Peren, the programme was held at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Jalukie. Speaking on the importance of family planning, Dr. Velentina Neikha, District Programme Officer (DPO) (Reproductive and Child Health-RCH & Universal Immunisation Programme-UIP), stressed the need to propagate and sensitise the public about family planning.
According to an update, focusing on the theme, she briefed the gathering on the importance of spacing and creating awareness of the benefits of having a small family, with a special focus on various family planning methods.
She also encouraged the public to utilise resources in a proper manner. She stated that investing in young people today by promoting healthy habits, ensuring education, and providing access to health services and social security coverage for all is the best investment to improve the lives of future generations.
It was informed that free services such as vasectomy and the distribution of intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs), condoms, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), and counselling can be availed of at the health units. The programme was attended by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi workers (AWWs), and medical staff.
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Phek: In Phek, the day was observed at the office of the chief medical officer (CMO), Phek, with Dr. Pangertemsu, gynaecologist and obstetrician at District Hospital Phek, as the theme speaker.
Dr. Pangertemsu highlighted the importance of family planning, maternal health, and reproductive healthcare in building healthy families and communities. He noted that access to quality reproductive health services and accurate information empowers individuals.
He also instructed healthcare workers to encourage eligible couples to utilise the family planning services available at government health facilities. He urged pregnant women to register early for antenatal care, attend regular check-ups, and opt for institutional deliveries to ensure safe motherhood.
The campaign is being observed from July 11 to the 18th, during which various information, education and communication (IEC) activities will be carried out across all health facilities. These activities will include counselling on family planning by medical officers (MOs), community health officers (CHOs), ANMs, and GNMs at health units, distribution of IEC materials and motivation to opt for family planning methods by ASHAs, and focus group discussions with target eligible couples by ASHAs.
Mokokchung: In Mokokchung, World Population Day was observed at the conference hall of the CMO office, Mokokchung.
During the programme, Dr. Limanaro, DPO (RCH & UIP), reiterated the importance of World Population Day and the population campaign, highlighting family planning choices.
She stated that the day is observed not only to create awareness about the types of family planning services available in health centres but also to focus on healthy spacing and timing between pregnancies.
She added that during the population week, advocacy and awareness campaigns would be carried out in all blocks and villages. These will cover family planning methods, the use of contraceptives and spacing methods, counselling of clients on the basket of choices, and the motivation of eligible couples to avail of family planning.
The DPO also pointed out that during the campaign, services like sterilisation, IUCD, and the distribution of condoms, ECP, OCP, counselling, and distribution of IEC materials will be carried out.
The DPO requested all health units to mobilise the community through VHCs, CHOs, ANMs, and ASHAs to refer individuals for sterilisation at District Hospital Mokokchung.