Access to family planning tools reaches 53 per cent citizens

Karnali: Almost 53 per cent of citizens of the Karnali Province have access to family planning tools, it is shared. However, the use rate of family planning tools is 47 per cent.

Community Nursing Officer at Province Ministry of Social Development Kabita Khatry said through the family planning programme implemented in Nepal for the past six decades, the access to and use of the tools has not increased as anticipated.

“Almost 90 per cent of citizens are aware of family planning tools in Karnali. But, its access and use are low”, she shared, adding that many people are compelled to adopt traditional methods of family planning.

According to Khatry, the number of people using a traditional method of family planning is still 9.8 per cent of total users in Karnali.

The Ministry has allocated a budget of Rs 1.75 million for the current fiscal year 2022/23. An inadequate budget has always been a challenge in expanding access to modern tools of family planning in the province.

Dr Sonai Chaudhary of Project for Health said the investment in family planning would be instrumental in reducing maternal and child mortality rates.