Experience of non-scalpel vasectomy in a rural area of Tamil Nadu.

BACKGROUND: Only 0.7% of men participate in the sterilization programme in Tamil Nadu. Various strategies were adopted to achieve a target of 10%. We aimed to assess the motivational strategies adopted by the health staff of Sathya Vijayanagaram block of Thiruvannamalai district in Tamil Nadu to improve the acceptance of non-scalpel vasectomy among the beneficiaries and to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of the acceptors of the technique. METHODS: This qualitative study, conducted in November-December 2010, involved in-depth interviews of the health staff of Cheyyar Health Unit district. All those who accepted non-scalpel vasectomy between 2007 and 2010 were interviewed. RESULTS: Early identification of targets and sustained motivation through a team approach, supported by administrative arrangements and intense information-education-communication activities, resulted in non-scalpel vasectomy contributing to 13% of all sterilizations. Acceptors were men from lower socioeconomic strata. CONCLUSION: The strategies adopted by the health system have contributed to the acceptance of non-scalpel vasectomy in the remote villages of a block in Tamil Nadu. This endeavour may be replicated in other districts of Tamil Nadu and others states of India to achieve the goals set for population control.