Bihar State Health Society is giving condoms and contraceptive pills to thousands of migrant workers who returned from various states and were staying at quarantine centres. According to the data by the National Family Health Survey 2016, Bihar has a fertility rate of 3.4 children per woman, which is highest in India.
In nine months after March and November, when thousands of migrant workers return from the cities to spend time with their families during festivals, the state has seen a sharp increase in institutional deliveries.
State Health Society executive director Manoj Kumar said, "We are distributing condoms and contraceptives as we have noticed that nine months after March and November when maximum migrants return for Holi, Diwali and Chhath, there is a big increase in institutional deliveries, but which go down in the preceding and following months."
A campaign to promote family planning in the densely populated state was launched by the Bihar State Health Society (BSHS).
A BSHS official said, "At the time of migrants discharge from quarantine and isolation centres, the health workers not only give them tips on family planning but also provide packets of condoms, contraceptives and pregnancy kits to them."
He also said, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANM), have been asked to supply contraceptives and condoms during their door-to-door tests for these migrants.
"The migrant workers are also being counselled on family planning by our health workers," said Gopalgunj civil surgeon TN Singh.
He added, More than 20,000 packages have been already distributed in the district of Gopalgunj, and the remaining 7,000 migrants will also receive when they are released.
Around 22 lakh migrant workers were brought back from special "Shramik" trains, apart from this Bihar government has estimated that around 10 lakh workers also returned on foot and shared vehicles.
While the number of people who had moved from the state in search of livelihood was not clear, almost 29 lakh people registered for Rs 1,000 assistance, promised by the Nitish Kumar government after the announcement of lockdown in March.