Men encouraged to use condoms

Men encouraged to use condoms

BOGOR: National Family Planning Program coordinating board
head Yaumil Chairiah Agoes Achir has asked religious leaders to
encourage men to take an active part in the birth control
program.

Men should play an active role in the program by using condoms
or having a vasectomy, she said at the presentation of an award
to the Bogor mayor for his success in implementing the birth
control program in the municipality.

Mayor Iswara Natanegara said that last year, there were 19,500
new participants in the program, while the total number of people
taking part was 170,000.

The municipality has a population of about 800,000.

He said the number of poor people had decreased from 31,600 to
28,700, adding that the family planning program was important for
helping to reduce poverty. --JP