Discuss menstrual hygiene more openly: Governor

Hyderabad, Nov 17: Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday said that it was high time that menstrual hygiene was discussed more openly.

“Open discussion on the menstrual hygiene is need of the hour. It must be discussed more openly to create awareness on the menstrual hygiene among girls and women so as to protect their health,” she added.

The Governor was delivering a virtual lecture on the promotion of cotton sanitary pads for promoting the menstrual hygiene organized by the women empowerment teams of the Rotary Clubs, Chennai, from the Raj Bhavan, here.

Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan stated that the commercial and synthetic made sanitary pads that are having chemicals, were resulting in infections and other diseases among women. It is advisable to use the cotton made and reusable sanitary pads to maintain menstrual hygiene and avoid infections.

“Even the use of commercial sanitary pads was resulting in their disposable problem. It is also resulting in environmental health hazard,” she added.

She called for increased awareness on the menstrual hygiene so as to ensure the health of girls and women. We need to educate the girls on this aspect from early on from their puberty time itself.

“Our traditions gave a place to celebrate the puberty and through those celebrations, the girls used to get lot of inputs on maintaining the menstrual hygiene from their elders, relatives and friends,” she added.

The Governor also expressed concern that majority of the girls were ignoring or were getting denied of nutritious food resulting in severe anaemia.

The studies are pointing out that the junk food habits were denying the girls, the much-needed nutrition to them, she added.

The Governor appreciated the efforts of the women empowerment teams of the Rotary Club for their initiative in the distribution of material to prepare the cotton sanitary pads and for their training sessions to create awareness on menstrual hygiene.

Rotary Clubs representatives Suchitra Kothangi, ABK Gayatri, Rekha Shetty, Sharada Ramani, Diana Traversi, Jarishree, Indumathy and others were present.

-Press note