Women spreading family planning measures in rural areas

RAMPUR, Dang, July 21: In a bid to raise awareness on health and safe motherhood, Manikala BK of Rampur VDC-8 district has been distributing condoms to people in her village from the last many years. [break]



“I´ve been trying my best to work as a social worker. This responsibility has now developed as an addiction for me,” said BK, a 58-year-old mother of eight children.



BK has been working as a health worker for a decade, making health facilities accessible to rural folks. She says that she enjoys her work and that she is satisfied with what she has been doing to the society.



Balika Pokhrel of Surkedaangi in Rampur VDC-6 has also been raising awareness on family planning. She has encouraged many villagers to adopt family planning measures.



Fifty-three-year-old Daangi Jawani also does not hesitate to distribute condoms and birth control pills to people in her neighborhood.



“Earlier, local women used to feel uncomfortable to use contraceptives. Now they openly approach us for contraceptives,” Jawani shared her experience.



Female health workers proudly say that their efforts have helped lessen child and female mortality rates in their localities.



Another health worker Bhaktidevi Shrestha of Dherna VDC-2 said that they still had to inform people about the need for vaccination for kids and timely health checkup for pregnant women.



Despite their contribution to the society, these female health workers are a dissatisfied lot. They lament that their contribution to the society has yet to be recognized by the government.



The female health workers have been regularly administering Vitamin A capsule and Glucose tablet for kids, zinc tablets for pregnant women and family planning devices.



These women undergo an initial training of nine days followed by a two-month long training. They also take a nine-day refresher training every five years.



A total of 786 female health workers are working in Dang district, said Pradeep Aryal, chief, statistics department at the District Public Health Office.



Recognizing the contribution of female health workers, the government, through the budget for fiscal 2009/10, has decided to provide them a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 from the month of August.

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