Why then is Indias current population growth rate still a ause for concern?
Adolescent girls, India. © Kim Naylor/Christian Aid/Still Pictures For one thing, a sizeable percentage of the population is in the reproductive age group. And the biggest challenge is to provide this group with an integrated package of reproductive health services. This includes the promotion of safe motherhood and child survival, nutritional services for vulnerable groups, services to prevent and manage reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases, the education of girls and empowerment of women. Both demographers and health specialists now agree that good quality contraceptive services cannot be provided without addressing related reproductive health needs. Long years of experience have shown that contraceptive acceptance and their continued use hinge on ensuring safe and good quality services. Take reproductive tract infections. In India, such infections are widely prevalent. If untreated, they can cause serious complications such as sterility, pelvic inflamm
