Panchthar, October 13:

Around 60 men underwent vasectomy in the mobile camp for family planning conducted by the Public Health Office at Panchthar in the first week of Ashoj. Among them is a 48-year-old father of nine children, Jas Bahadur Tamang.

The mobile camp for family planning, which was organised in six health centres and sub-health centres of Phaktep, Ravi, Olane, Mauwa, Limba, Sarangdanda and Yashok of the district concluded this week. A team led by Dr Guna Raj Lohani returned to the headquarters after the camp ended.

Dr Lohani said among those undergoing vasectomy were men ranging from 22 to 48 years. Most of them are from the Janajati and Dalit groups.

He said in the camp held at Mauwa, Jas Bahadur Tamang, father of nine kids underwent vasectomy while in the camp at Ravi, 22-year-old Suren Rai of Ilam having one son underwent vasectomy.

According to Family Planning Assistant Dharani Niraula, altogether 60 people including five Janjati and one Dalit in Phaktep camp; four Dalits and 13 Janajati at Ravi; three Janajatis at Olane; two Dalits, three Janajati and 1 other in Limba camp; 10 from Brahmin and Chettri communities in Mauwa; one Dalit and four Janajatis in Yashok and three Dalits, four Janajatis and five others in the camp held at Sarangdanda underwent vasectomy.

The medical team involved in the process said the number of operations were more than targeted, as local residents were themselves aware and encouraged family planning.

According to statistics, in family planning camps run in Panchthar district over the last two years in two different phases, altogether 80 people underwent vasectomy.

Assistant Niraula said this year 60 people wnet under the scalpel in the first phase and added that more such camps would be held in northeastern VDCs of the district.

In Panchthar district, altogether 2200 men and 325 women have taken recourse to family planning since 1992.