Agencies
Allahabad, May 15: In a bid to promote family planning, the Uttar Pradesh state health department has started distributing a special gift (shagun) to all newly-weds, an official said.
The gift comprises marriage registration form, a pack of condoms, contraceptive pills, home pregnancy testing kit along with awareness material and other daily utility items like comb, bindi, mirror, handkerchief, towel among others.
"This shagun is part of Nai Pahal Scheme under the National Health Mission and is aimed at raising awareness about the need of adopting temporary and permanent methods of family planning by young couples. The scheme has been launched in 57 districts of Uttar Pradesh having high fertility rate and Allahabad is one of them," Hindustan Times reported district project manager of NHM Vinod Kumar Singh saying.
The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers are entrusted with the task of distributing kits to the newlywed couples.
Vinod Kumar Singh said the kit also has a congratulatory message from the health and family welfare minister. Besides, the contact details of Asha and health workers are also present in it.
The project manager said the Asha workers have been trained for gifting kit in proper manner to newlywed couples and encouraging them to adopt family planning methods.
"The scheme has been launched in districts like Agra, Mathura, Ghaziabad, Balia, Sultanpur, Ambedkarnagar, Faizabad, Deoria, Azamgarh, Sitapur, Hardoi. We are keeping a close watch on the progress of the scheme," he added. |
