Madhya Pradesh government scraps circular on sterilisation
The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday scrapped 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 don't motivate at least one male vasectomy least this fiscal.
The move came after the National Family Health Survey- 4 reports recorded that only 0.5 percent of 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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