YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA — Since 2016, the Yogyakarta government in Indonesia has been carrying out a program to provide incentives for men to get vasectomies. Each man who agrees to the procedure receives 75 dollars. <br /> <br />This program was designed to increase the number of vasectomy participants, which is considered low. <br /> <br />A vasectomy is an operation where a surgeon cuts through a man’s vas deferens, and ties the two ends together, preventing sperm and seminal fluids from mixing. <br /> <br />Officials hope the program will help prevent an explosion in the population of the city. <br /> <br />According to the Head of Population Control and Family Planning, the population growth rate in Yogyakarta is 2.1%, below the national average. However, the government is still implementing measures to prevent future exponential growth. <br /> <br />As some women experience allergies using traditional contraceptives, the government has also suggested men to do their part by getting vasectomies. <br /> <br />Men who already have two children are recommended to undergo the procedure. However, many men are still reluctant to participate, as the procedure is permanent, and there is a great deal of fear surrounding the idea of a surgeon cutting into their nether regions. <br /> <br />To address this, the government has tried to educate the public about vasectomies using traditional art, to convince men that the surgery is not that scary.
