Family planning is key to reduce maternal and child mortality: JP Nadda

The Union Health Minister also launched the new revamped logo for the family planning media awareness campaign which has Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador

“There has been a paradigm shift, and family planning has now emerged as a key strategy to reduce maternal and child mortalities and morbidities,” said JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, during his inaugural address at the two-day National Summit on Family Planning, in Delhi.

The Health Minister also launched the new packaging of contraceptive Nirodh with a view to increase its uptake and use. He said, “As a part of our continued efforts to offer Indian women a broader basket of choice, a method mix of contraceptives – Injectables, Centchroman and POPs – have now been introduced into the public health system under the National Family Planning program. The improved access to contraceptives will address all the development dimensions”. Highlighting the importance of linkages and involvement of the private sector, Nadda said that the Ministry will work closely through the private sector engagement using approaches such as social marketing and franchising to build strong public-private partnerships to ensure that the interventions reach everyone.

Nadda also said that family planning reinforces people’s rights to determine the number and spacing of their children. The freedom to personally determine the timing of a pregnancy strengthens, above all, the position of women in society. It helps reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, because many pregnancies in quick succession put both, the mother and the child at risk.

The Union Health Minister also launched the new revamped logo for the family planning media awareness campaign along with a 360^o communication plan for enhanced awareness regarding various issues surrounding family planning in the country. Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador and anchor for the new communication approach.

Also present at the function were BP Sharma, Secretary (HFW); CK Mishra, AS&MD; Dr Rakesh Kumar, JS (RCH, IEC) and other senior officers of the Ministry.