Government efforts to encourage men’s involvement in family planning have had little impact in Gujarat, where sterilisation continues to fall largely on women.
According to state health department data, over the past two years nearly 4.4 lakh women have undergone sterilisation, while only about 2,000 men opted for vasectomy. This translates to just one man for every 1,000 women taking responsibility for permanent contraception.
Between April and December last year alone, 1.33 lakh women underwent sterilisation procedures compared with a mere 1,120 men who chose the non-surgical vasectomy method. For years, the state has seen an annual average of more than 3 lakh female sterilisations, while male numbers remain stagnant at around 1,000.
Doctors point out that male sterilisation is simpler, safer, and requires minimal recovery time compared to female procedures. However, deep-rooted misconceptions continue to prevail. Many men fear it could affect their masculinity or sexual performance, leaving women to shoulder the burden despite government incentives available for both genders.
Health experts stress the need for stronger awareness campaigns to challenge these myths and encourage men to share responsibility in family planning.