Rayalaseem machos against unkindest cut: family planning in andhra pradesh

U Sudhakar Reddy
The macho men of Rayalaseema are shying away from vasectomy operations with districts of the region reporting the lowest number of male sterilisation operations in the stateAccording to the family planning department, only 14 men came forward in the faction ridden Anantapur district to undergo vasectomy operation in 2007-2008There were 32 in Kurnool, 13 in Chittoor and 392 in Kadapa“Fewer men take up vasectomy operations in Rayalaseema districts because of their mind-set that only women should only undergo sterilisation,” said the joint director (family planning), Dr G. HymavatiThe joint director said the department had been conducting special awareness campaigns to motivate men to take up family planning“It has increased when compared to previous years,” she addedIn 2008-09 the family planning department conducted 179 vasectomy operations in Kurnool, 156 in Anantapur and 317 in Kada pa and 452 in ChittoorIn the entire state, 29,763 vasectomies were conducted in the year. Karimnagar topped with 5,658 operationsThis year, till June 15, only six men in Anantapur, nine in Kurnool, and 22 in Kadapa had undergone male sterilisation surgeryMeanwhile, tribal men in various agency areas in the state are coming forward to undergo vasectomy operations
“We are not aggressively promoting family planning in tribal areas in order to protect the population,” said Dr Hymavati“But as the tribal society is more matriarchal, women persuade men to undergo sterilisation.”