More Cordillera dads avail of non-scalpel vasectomy

MEN’S ROLE  Dr. Nelson Hora of the Baguio City Health Services Office speaks in a press conference on Thursday (Nov. 7, 2024). (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A medical doctor who provides services for non-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) said more men are availing of the service, seeing the importance of family planning initiatives for both men and women.

NSV is a permanent method of contraception where the man undergoes minor surgery for about 15 minutes. It is performed through cutting of the vas deferens.

Dr. Nelson Hora, Medical Officer IV at the Baguio Health Services Office (HSO), said they started providing NSV services in 2010.

“We only get about one to two clients in a year. It is not very popular with men then, not realizing of their important role in family planning and reproductive health,” Hora said in a press conference in this city on Thursday.

In 2021, during an NSV campaign in November, there were 50 who availed, aside from those who took advantage of the free service in other months.

In 2022 and 2023, there were 48 who joined the November campaign for both years, Hora said.

Most of those who availed of the service are professionals like doctors, lawyers, and office workers aged 30 and above on average, but there are also those who are construction workers.

Hora said this contraceptive mode is 99 percent effective but is a lifetime decision that cannot be reversed.

Glenda Dacanay, Nurse 5 at the Public Health Management Cluster of the Department of Health-Cordillera, said there are now 25 doctors in the different provinces who were trained to perform NSV.