Use of contraceptives increased in 2024: report

LAHORE : The Punjab Bureau of Statistics has announced the results of the 2024 survey of MICS 2024, which is a statistically reliable and nationally representative data provider for monitoring the situation of children, women, and families.

The Population Welfare Department Punjab continued the monitoring process and provided new strategies and guidelines to officers and field staff. The survey report shows that the use of contraceptives in Punjab was 34.4 percent in 2017, which has now increased to 40.1 percent in 2024, and (Unmet needs) has decreased from 17.8 percent to 16.7 percent.

The demand for family planning has increased from 52.2 percent to 56.8 percent. The results of MICS 2024 are encouraging compared to 2017-18. Most importantly, the total average fertility rate in Punjab has decreased from 3.7 children in 2017 to 3.5 in 2024.

Meanwhile, the teenage birth rate among women aged 15-49 has decreased from 40 to 33. A positive trend has been seen in Punjab regarding family planning, the workers and field staff of the department work day and night in the province with a traditional scenario to change the behavior and mindset of the people.

The teams of the Population Welfare Department Punjab go to all the rural, remote communities and tribal areas across the province and encourage the people to be responsible, ensure the welfare of the family, adopt family planning methods, have a balanced family, and accountable parenting, use contraceptives, care, and much-needed precautions. The SBCC strategy has been successfully implemented and has yielded positive results. The overall success and collaboration of all partners, supporters, practitioners, and experts is the result and will continue to be so.