Jerrielyn Lewis, the acting chief of City Health Office’s (CHO) Population Division said men in Davao City are now more amenable to birth-control procedures previously seen as “emasculating.”
Lewis said more men avail themselves of the No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV), a procedure that costs over P14,000 in private hospitals which the CHO offers for free every last Friday of the month at the Buhangin District Health Center.
“The NSV is the male equivalent to ligation. We used to offer the NSV in the communities but since February of this year, we now have a fixed site,” she said.
She said CHO has catered to over 50 men who underwent the NSV procedure from January to July 2022. Lewis said men from other areas like Panabo and Tagum have availed themselves of the NSV.
Lewis added that the city’s constant education and information drives were able to instill behavioural and cultural shifts in the communities.
“We reduced the ideal number of family members. We recommend at least two children per family for them to be able to provide and so that they can focus on raising the children,” she said.
“Let us keep in mind that family planning should really be the goal of every couple. Parenthood gives you the responsibility to mold someone into an individual. So family planning should really be the kickoff in the family,” she added.
The CHO called on all couples, both those who plan to start a family and those who do not, to visit the city’s health centers where they can avail of free family planning or birth control consultations.
The Davao City Government in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) holds an open-access information drive at the NCCC Mall Buhangin on Monday (August 1) in celebration of the Family Planning Month.
This year’s theme “Bata, Bata, Planado kang Ginawa,” promotes four central principles in family planning— birth spacing, drive to life, informed choice and planned parenthood.
DOH 11 Local Health Support Division chief Dr. Raquel Montejo said birth spacing will drastically reduce health risks and complications for mothers by letting their bodies heal within a protracted amount of time before conceiving another child.
Drive to life refers to the efforts currently taken by the department to minimize the rate of maternal and infant deaths due to complications during childbirth.