At a time when the entire country is under lockdown to fight COVID-19, another threat looms large.
The threat of population explosion as all the people are staying indoors.
To keep a tab on unwanted pregnancies during the lockdown period, authorities in Uttar Pradeh are engaged in home delivery of condoms and other birth control kits.
According to reports, the district administration in Ballia of Uttar Pradesh has given instructions to the health workers to distribute condoms, contraceptives, and other popular family planning kits to prevent the possible explosion of the population.
The district officials are concerned that lockdown restrictions and lack of recreational activities might lead to a possible rise in the birth rate in the district and elsewhere during this period.
Due to this, the members of NGOs like Asha along with health care workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs) have been instructed to distribute condom packets and other contraceptives to every household.
They have also been asked to make people aware of the benefits of family planning and various population control measures available to them.
About 30 thousand condoms have been distributed so far during the lockdown.
ASHA workers and ANMs are going door-to-door telling people about the benefits of family planning along with fighting the coronavirus.
NGO Asha is providing contraceptive pills to women to avoid unwanted pregnancies, while condoms are being distributed to men.