Madhya Pradesh government scraps circular on sterilisation

The Madhya Pradesh government on Fridayscrapped a controversial circular that set

sterilisation targets for male multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs) and warned of salary loss for not meeting goals.

The circular, issued by the state unit of the National Health Mission (NHM), directed each male MPHW to get at least

get one man sterilised in this fiscal, which ends on March 31, or their salaries would be withheld and they would be given

compulsory retirement. As the order created a furore, Health Minister Tulsi

Silawat announced its immediate withdrawal. I have just now nullified the NHMs order with

immediate effect. The language in it was not proper, Silawat told PTI in the afternoon.

Things should be done after proper reasoning, he said.

On February 11, the NHM shot off the circular marked Extremely Important. It asked top divisional officers and

district officers, including those with the health department, to identify male workers with zero work output and apply

the no work no pay principle if they dont motivate at least one male vasectomy least this fiscal.

The move came after the National Family Health Survey- 4 report recorded that only 0.5 per cent men were opting for

sterilisation in Madhya Pradesh. The circular, issued by the states NHM Mission

Director, had said that MPHWs should mobilise at least five to 10 willing beneficiaries when camps are held in districts.

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