Menstrual hygiene drive increases sanitary napkin use, but problems remain

Menstrual hygiene drive increases sanitary napkin use, but problems remain

Menstrual hygiene drive increases sanitary napkin use, but problems remain on Business Standard. A study by Rutgers has revealed that 89 per cent Indian women use cloth, 2 per cent use cotton wool, 7 per cent sanitary pads and 2 per cent ash during menstruation

Latest News The use of sanitary napkins has increased from 50.7 per cent to 54 per cent between 2014 and 2015, driven by a government scheme to promote menstrual hygiene. But the scheme suffers from multiple problems–the quality and supply of sanitary napkins, lack of awareness and unsafe disposal techniques, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of government reports.

The scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among girls between 10 and 19 years of age was launched by the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) in 2011. It covers rural areas in 107 districts across 17 states. In 2014, the scheme was merged with the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) which works in the area of adolescent health.

The sanitary napkins distributed under the scheme are manufactured by rural self-help groups. Quality control measures are left to the states. The expenditure on the scheme has gone up from Rs 24.33 billion in 2014-15 to Rs 37.03 billion in 2016-17, revealed a reply to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament.

Accredited social health activists (ASHAs)–local women who are roped in to implement the project–are supposed to sell a pack of six napkins for Rs 6. They are allowed to keep one rupee per pack sold and the remaining Rs 5 is donated to the state/district treasury. As a further incentive, the ASHAs also receive a free pack of napkins every month.

Traditionally, women used cloth for protection during menstruation, washing and reusing them repeatedly. Those who are poor use rags, ash, or husk. Lack of menstrual hygiene results in diseases such as urinary/reproductive tract infections as well as bacterial vaginosis which is the proliferation of bacteria in the vagina.

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