2 Doctors Leave Jobs To Teach Rural Girls About Menstrual Hygiene

There are  very few people who have guts to leave lucrative jobs to work for causes close to their heart. Two such women are pathologist Kadiyam Kavya and her gynaecologist friend Priti Dayal from Telangana. They have taken up cudgels to sensitize rural girls studying in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas on menstrual hygiene. The two doctors also supply them sanitary napkins free for one year.

Lack of awareness among girls

Kavya said that 80% of women stay away from using sanitary napkins, which causes severe health problems. She also observed that majority of girls stop going to school due to ignorance and lack of accessibility to sanitary napkins.

Read Also: Women Slam Kerala MP For Terming Menstruation As ‘Impure’

Speaking to The Hindu, Kavya explained how parents in villages celebrate the occasion of puberty, by organising a big feast. They are, however, not bothered about the girl's physiological changes post-puberty. They often brush the issue under the carpet saying that she will be married off soon.

“The condition of girls is pathetic in villages. We are focusing on girls studying in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas across the district. During periods, they skip classes or go home, missing education. They cannot afford sanitary napkins or have access to them even if they could buy,” Kavya explained.

Apposite measures taken

Kavya has toured 10 government schools, reaching out to 2,000 girls so far during the last eight months. She said that it was the lack of awareness among girls that moved her to take up the task.

Read Also: Why Gender sensitization is required to normalize menstruation?

“We are supplying sanitary napkins free after explaining them the importance of hygiene during menstruation period. We are roping in SHG women in preparing low-cost sanitary napkins to meet the demand,” she explained.

The doctor encourages girls not to shy away from to holding healthy discussions on the various problems they face. She also wants the girls to share this valuable information with their siblings and other girls.

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Picture Credit: The Hindu