Should ensure women are able to exercise family planning choice: Nadda

New Delhi: The Centre and states need to work collectively to ensure women can exercise their right to decide family planning choices and are not burdened by unwanted pregnancy, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Thursday.

Leading a discussion on "Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancies for the Wellbeing of Mother and Child" at a virtual event on the occasion of World Population Day, he said that "We need to work towards maintaining low TFR (total fertility rate) in states that have already achieved it, and work towards achieving it in other states".

There is accessibility of modern contraceptives in the basket of choices and it should be ensured that unmet needs of contraceptives are met, especially in the high-burden states, districts and blocks, the minister said.

Nadda also released released of a set of new Information Education Communication (IEC) materials on family planning and population control.

"The Centre and states need to collectively work to ensure that women can exercise their right to decide family planning choices and are not burdened by unwanted pregnancy," Nadda said.

He also commended the commitment and dedication of frontline workers of the health ministry and department, saying the achievements in family planning and population control wouldn't have been possible without them.