Madikeri: Apart from giving birth to children and rearing them, women are also bequeathed with the responsibility of getting family planning surgery done, the figures say.
This year, 1,533 women have undergone family planning (tubectomy) surgery in Kodagu district, since April.
However, not a single man has opted for vasectomy in the current year so far. While 16 married men have gotten the family planning operation done during the last year.
Since 2020, the number of men who have undergone the surgery has not crossed double digit.
The experts say compared to women, it is easy to operate on men for family planning surgery. It is done in a painless way and without having any side-effects. There will be no physical or mental weakness. The sexual relationship with the partner even after the vasectomy would be normal, the doctors say.
However, due to preconceived notions, men are not volunteering for the family planning surgery.
No scalpel vasectomy is performed in almost all hospitals.
The operation is done without any injury and stitching and is completed within five to 10 minutes. The men can return to home in half an hour after the surgery.
As an encouragement, the government has been providing Rs 1,100 to the men (both APL and BPL card holders) for getting their vasectomy done.
The Asha workers too, are paid with honorarium for counselling and convincing men for vasectomy. However, men in Kodagu have not shown any interest, despite creating awareness.
Concerning situation
The current sex ratio in Kodagu for Men is to women is 1000 : 958
Despite various laws to ban pre-natal sex determination by the government, there is an imbalance.
District Family Welfare Officer Dr Anand said that men should keep their blind beliefs aside and should opt for vasectomy, which is safe. This will help to reduce the pain experienced by women, he added.
Kodagu district Health Officer Dr K M Satish Kumar said awareness is being created by the health department. about population control in the district. Publicity is being given on various family planning methods such as contraceptive injections and pills (to be taken as per physician's advice) for temporary birth control methods and usage of condoms, tubectomy, laparoscopy surgery and no scalpel vasectomy as permanent methods.