Focus on family planning

Sir, - When I was a junior houseman in the Christian Medical College hospital in 1966, I was suspended for a day by my professor obstetrician for not canvassing the family planning procedure to a woman who had delivered her third baby. Such was the seriousness of the situation with regard to the `baby boom.' But now, when I ask my rural patients about the number of children they have, their reply is `three' or `four.'

The Governments, at both the State and Central levels, say they are for one-baby norm. But, people in the rural areas have more children. Why don't the Governments, which are spending millions of rupees on HIV, focus their attention on family planning?

Dr. Robert I. Rajiah,

Thiruvallur, TN

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Section  : Opinion
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