New Delhi, January 29: The sale of condoms and contraceptive pills shot up during the Covid national lockdown in the year 2020-21, according to a survey conducted by the Health Management Information System.
The survey was commissioned by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Sterilizations fell by 25 percent in 2021-22 as compared to the year before that while condom distribution rose by seven percent and contraceptive pills usage doubled.
In terms of sheer numbers, about 33.70 crore condoms were sold in 2021-22 as compared to 31.45 crore condoms in 2019-20.
Chhaya pills emerged as contraceptive method of choice during the lockdown. A whopping 76.50 lakh Chhaya pills were distributed during the lockdown 2020-21 as compared to 57.10 lakh in 2019-20.
Most of the demand for both condoms and contraceptive pills came from Uttar Pradesh followed by West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
According to the survey, pandemic years 2020-21 and 2021-22 were most challenging years for all services including family planning.
“Over the years, the family planning programme has been repositioned to not only achieve population sterilisation goals but also reduce maternal, infant and child morbidities and mortalities,” the survey stated.
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