Lucknow, June 13 : The second phase of Population Stabilisation Fortnight, focusing on Community Mobilisation, is set to begin on June 27 and will continue until July 10 in Uttar Pradesh.

During this period, the Yogi Adityanath government will organise various activities, such as 'Sarathi Vahan' and 'Saas-Beta-Bahu Sammelan', to raise public awareness about the importance of family planning. Following this, the third phase of the fortnight will be observed from July 11 to 24.

According to an official release, consultations on various family planning methods (basket of choice) will be provided at all health units, and these methods will be made available to eligible and willing beneficiaries.

The Health Department is continuously working to accelerate family welfare programmes and achieve population stabilisation.

World Population Day, celebrated annually on July 11, aims to increase societal awareness about population stabilisation.

Principal Secretary of Medical, Health, and Family Welfare Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma has issued a letter with necessary guidelines to all District Magistrates and Chief Medical Officers in the state.

Pinky Jovel, Mission Director of the National Health Mission, stated that Population Fortnight is celebrated annually with active participation from officials, health workers, and the community.

Numerous family welfare programmes are also conducted during this time. These efforts have led to a decrease in the state's Total Fertility Rate (TFR), as evidenced by the National Family Health Survey. According to NFHS-5 (2019-20), the TFR is 2.4, down from 2.7 in NFHS-4 (2015-16).

The initial phase of Population Stabilization Fortnight began on June 1 and will run until June 20. During this period, preparations are underway to motivate targeted couples and effectively implement service delivery activities.

Efforts include capacity building for service providers, ensuring a supply of family planning methods, and fostering coordination between various departments.

This year's slogan for Population Fortnight is 'Viksit Bharat ki Nayi Pehchan, Parivar Niyojan Har Dampati Ki Shaan' and the theme is 'Right time and gap of pregnancy for the health of mother and child'.

Suryansh Ojha, General Manager of the Family Welfare Program, emphasised that the programme is focused on encouraging the community to adopt modern family planning methods, training health workers, and enhancing the Family Planning Logistic Management Information System (FPLMIS) portal.

This portal is crucial in inspecting and managing family planning materials and resources at all levels. Districts are encouraged to introduce innovative ideas during the fortnight.

/IANS