Bengaluru: The State Health and Family Welfare Department aims to introduce modern contraceptive methods through the National Family Planning Programme to reduce unintended pregnancies and improve access to family planning services.

For this purpose, a pilot project will be carried out in four districts of Karnataka: Bengaluru, Mysuru, Yadgir and Bidar by September end.

To ensure effective implementation, a collaborative effort was made with technical support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the participation of Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, D. Randeep, along with officials from the National Health Mission and other health departments. The focus of the project is to introduce two new contraceptive options: subdermal single rod implants and subcutaneous injectables.

The pilot project will be rolled out in these selected districts, among 40 districts across 10 states in the country. Healthcare facilities in the chosen districts have been identified to offer the new contraceptive methods. The targeted facilities include district hospitals, taluk hospitals, medical colleges, community health centres (CHCs), and primary health centres (PHCs) where these contraceptives will be made available.

In Mysuru and Yadgir, the subcutaneous injectables will be administered at selected district hospitals, taluk hospitals, one medical college, one CHC and one PHC. Mysuru will have five selected facilities, while Yadgir will have seven.

On the other hand, subdermal single rod implants will be introduced at specific hospitals, including KC General and Vani Vilas Hospitals in Bengaluru, and Government MCH Hospital and Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS) in Bidar.

The introduction of these new contraceptive options is expected to empower women and provide them with greater control over their reproductive health. Additionally, the increased contraceptive choices will help women better manage birth spacing, subsequently leading to a reduction in infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR). The subdermal single rod implant is a long-acting reversible contraceptive that will be inserted under the skin of the upper arm and remain effective for three years. The subcutaneous injectable contraceptive will be administered as a single dose and provide protection for three months.

As the subdermal implant is a newer contraceptive method, it will be administered by trained gynaecologists. To ensure proper implementation, gynaecologists in Bidar and  Bengaluru are undergoing training and orientation.