No Scalpel Vasectomy Story: NSV Journeys India

The book describes my personal views on NSV and experiences with Indian men and their views about vasectomy. It also brings up opinions about gender and male responsibility in India. It highlights the technical expertise required and its availability. It underscores the importance of training for surgeons. The author was appointed project advisor NSV by the Government of India from 1997 to 2002 and travelled extensively across the country in that capacity. I visited 200 districts and trained 4000 surgeons in No-Scalpel Vasectomy surgery. The book describes the training experiences and the adaptations required in methodology instrumentation and communication. It also points out the urban-rural divide regarding facilities and thought process and how we adapted to this division in training and IEC methodology. On a personal note the book highlights the struggle and transformation a surgeon has to undergo to work in a Public health environment and how the person has to deny their personal goals and ambitions. Vasectomy does not easily merge with the day to day work of a surgeon and also calls for a different attitude and commitment. The book finally notes that given passionate commitment and expertise and hard work on the part of programme officers it is possible to nullify resistance from men from society and religious zealots. Men will get vasectomy done provided that they are approached and services offered.