Chhaya, Antara safe as contraceptives but yet to find takers in Tamil Nadu

Despite being much safer and temporary in nature, there were very few takers for the new methods in the market due to the lack of awareness, she said. So far, 21,000 injection kits have been disposed in the state; however, only 4,800 women have taken it, added Banu. 

Dr Banu was in Madurai to participate in a review meeting on the implementation of Chhaya and Antara in the southern districts, and a sensitisation meeting on the two contraceptive methods among the officials of Health Department. 

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the meeting, Banu said that contrary to the traditional contraceptive methods such as copper-T and tubectomy, the two new methods, Chhaya and Antara, were safe and non-permanent in nature. 

Chhaya is a non-hormonal pill which helps to avoid getting pregnant and is at the same time temporary as its effect can be neutralised any point of time. These are manufactured in indigenous ways in Kolkata. Similarly, Antara is an injectable contraceptive method, a single dose of which can help women to avoid pregnancy for about three months. 

The traditional practices such as copper-T are sometimes harmful as they tend to cause infection in women. Abortion is another option available, but it takes a heavy toll on the health of the women. 

At the meeting, the deputy directors of the Health Department were asked to spread awareness about the importance of the two contraceptive methods and even the private practitioners were asked to spread the message among the masses, said Banu. 

“As we go further south, the awareness about the contraceptive methods are too low. The Health Department officials are trying to bring more people under the bracket of contraceptives,” she added. 

Dr P Banu, Director, Family Welfare, said that the target of fertility rate was 1.6 and it has already been achieved in the state. Now the department is focusing on high order births, where certain blocks in the state would have high concentration of births. Therefore, the specific blocks are targeted and contraceptive methods are introduced in the pockets. Around 120 such blocks have been identified in the state, she said, adding that the fertility rate is still higher than 7.5 in such blocks. Three such blocks are in Madurai districts and they are Kallikudi, Vellalur and Karunkalkudi, said Banu.