Madhya Pradesh govt scraps circular that set sterilisation targets for male health workers, transfers official who issued notice

The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday scrapped a controversial circular that set sterilisation targets for male multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs) and warned of salary loss for not meeting goals. The state government also transferred the officer who issued the circular, India Today reported. [caption id=“attachment_8071491” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. PTI[/caption] The circular, issued by the state unit of the National Health Mission (NHM), directed each male MPHW to get at least get one man sterilised in this fiscal, which ends on 31 March, or their salaries would be withheld and they would be given compulsory retirement. As the order created a furore, Health Minister Tulsi Silawat announced its immediate withdrawal. I have just now nullified the NHMs order with immediate effect. The language in it was not proper, Silawat told PTI in the afternoon. Things should be done after proper reasoning, he said. On 11 February, the NHM shot off the circular marked Extremely Important. It asked top divisional officers and district officers, including those with the health department, to identify male workers with zero work output and apply the no work no pay principle  if they dont motivate at least one male vasectomy least this fiscal. The move came after the National Family Health Survey-4 report recorded that only 0.5 percent men were opting for sterilisation in Madhya Pradesh. The circular, issued by the states NHM Mission Director, had said that MPHWs should mobilise at least five to 10 willing beneficiaries when camps are held in districts.