Current rapid world population growth is unprecedented in the long history of mankind, with our region contributing the largest share. Rapid population growth hampers the economic development and improvement of health, welfare and quality of life of individuals, communities, and nations. The cause of such rapid population growth is the remarkable reduction of the mortality rate during the two decades after the Second World 1VJar, while the fertility rate remains high in most of developing countries.
If we, medical professionals, can claim that we contribute partially if not totally, to. the above mentioned, rapid reduction of mortality, then we ought to accept responsibility, partially or totally, for the problem of rapid population growth which, if unchecked, would lead many countries to poverty and misery and ultimately would create for the world serious problems resource allocation, environment and population distribution.
This means that medical professionals must be in Gear New Philosophy by expanding our scope of interest and services from the traditional control of mortality by patient care to include the new role of controlling fertility and population.
Family planning practice would not only provide a greater chance of economic development and fulfilling parental responsibility but also have tremendous impact on the reduction of maternal mortality, fetal loss and infant mortality, and thus improve the quality of life and the human environment.
The amount of family planning practice depends upon two factors, namely motivation toward smaller family size, and the availability of birth control technology. The former must be tackled by education and socio economic change, while the latter is tackled by the pro-vision of information, contraceptive supplies, and clinical services.
We must accept the reality that medical professionals and their personal service is expensive and ill-distributed. Only a fraction of the population in developing countries can afford them and have access to them.
Therefore, what we medical professionals must do, in addition to taking a more active interest and participation in providing personal services for family planning, education, research, supervision and training, is to delegate as much function as possible to paramedical personnel, lay workers, and commercial channels.
It is a well established fact that screening, insertion, and follow-up service of IUD, and distribution of oral contraceptives could be safely delegated to well-trained para-medical personnel working under the supervision of medical profession.
The Medical Profession must recognize that more efficient and greater impact on motivation can be rendered by workers in educational and socioeconomic fields, but it must also continue counselling advice to the patient
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