Patna, May 12: State Health Society, Bihar (SHSB) launched an integrated communication campaign, with an aim to address issues on family planning, healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies, in the state capital today.
The initiative, which would involve various mid-media activities like street theatre and game shows, will be carried out through different non-governmental organisations and development partners. Branded vehicles, advertising benefits of proper spacing between childbirths, were flagged off at the event.
“The initiative will initially start in 10 districts of Bihar, including Patna. The programme is expected to contribute to efforts of the society would cover rural and urban areas. It will be a focused campaign that will concentrate on disseminating knowledge about healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy, which should be at least three years spacing between two kids, spousal communication on healthy timing and spacing childbirths and normalising use of contraceptives,” said Sanjay Kumar, executive director, SHSB.
According to official records, at 3.9, the fertility rate in Bihar is higher than all other states in the country. Sanjay said: “In our state, 12 per cent of births take place within 18 months of previous birth, 29 per cent occur within 24 months and 63 per cent within three years.”
Another senior health department official said: “Research shows that a spacing of at least three years between two successive childbirths can reduce infant mortality. It is shocking that the use of contraceptives is the third lowest in the country. Almost 23 per cent married women have an unmet need for family planning.”
Officials said the programme that would mainly be implemented by Population Services International (PSI) would include integrated communication like mass media and mid-media along with social marketing of products like condoms and oral contraceptive pills in the project areas. The age group of the primary target audience for the project is 21 to 34 years among males and 15 to 29 years for females.
The programme will be carried out in 900 villages and 45 towns in Patna, East Champaran, West Champaran, Samastipur, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Khagaria and Lakhisarai in the next one year, after which it would be extended to other districts.
Amajit Mukherji of PSI said different communication channels would be used to address the issues in a thematic approach. The themes will include use of television spots and on-ground activities like street plays. “Trained troupes are being sent to 10 districts to perform street plays as part of the mid media campaigns to encourage spacing and deliver suitable messages to target audiences,” he said.
