WVD in Latin America and The CaribbeanÂ
Argentina: More and more men are opting for vasectomies, and World Vasectomy Day is working with the Ministry of Health to improve response capacity
Faced with surprising demand, more than 70 vasectomies were performed at Balestrini Hospital during the training provided by World Vasectomy Day in conjunction with the Ministry of Health of the province of Buenos Aires. As a result of a collective commitment, two doctors successfully completed their training, and expectations are growing for greater accessibility to this minimally invasive procedure.
One Monday morning, the Director of Balestrini Hospital, in the municipality of La Matanza, Argentina, indicated that they would publish the opening of appointments for no-scalpel vasectomies on the Hospital’s social media. They needed to organize patient management for the training that World Vasectomy Day would be holding in a few weeks. The Hospital team had many doubts; it was the first time they would advertise the service on social media, and they were worried about not reaching the men in the community, who generally do not have the most access to the healthcare system. The surprise was great when, in less than 24 hours, the Admissions Department received 1,200 emails from people requesting information about a vasectomy appointment.
Historically, family planning has been the responsibility of women. Most contraceptive technologies and reproductive health programs focused on the female body, limiting opportunities for male participation. Men’s participation and their responsibility in preventing unintended pregnancies was a demand from a portion of society.
However, Argentina is seeing a deep interest and active commitment from men when making decisions related to their reproductive planning. Deciding whether or not to have children, how many to have, and at what point in their lives has become not only a topic of conversation for many men, but also a call to action, as many are seeking information and access to safe contraceptive alternatives.
Balestrini Hospital witnessed this clear demand. The receipt of so many applications reflects the need to work together to offer men accessible care spaces. The training carried out by World Vasectomy Day in April, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, has been an important step in organizing to address this latent need among men for accessible and safe contraception and planning services.
The challenge is enormous. The health system must be strengthened and find ways to incorporate men into care strategies, listening to their needs, concerns, and desires. World Vasectomy Day supports the Ministry of Health in this important mission, moving toward equity in contraception.
