DC Dimapur launches menstrual hygiene management programme

Dimapur, July 24 (EMN): In a significant move towards helping the daughters, sisters, and working women, the Dimapur district administration, in collaboration with an NGO by the name of Community Health Initiative (CJI) launched a Menstrual Hygiene Management Programme (MHMP) for all government schools and colleges during a programme held at Dimapur Government College (DGC) on July 24.

The deputy commissioner of Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi, and the DGC principal, Dr. Moanochet Longchar, officially launched the sanitary napkin machine and incinerator for colleges in Dimapur.

In his inaugural address,  Khinchi announced that sanitary napkin machine and incinerator would be installed in all the government schools and colleges, which would be funded by the Dimapur district administration, through the programme. Khinchi expressed optimism saying that the programme would go a long way in helping the girl child of the society.

While expressing concern about health issue with regard to females, Khinchi stressed that menstrual hygiene management is a natural biological process which should be discussed among members including the male counterparts in the society. Describing MHMP as an important component of Bharat Mission, Khinchi emphasised on the need to create more awareness and conduct training programmes and added that NGOs have to play an important role.

In this regard, he advised CHI to work out cost effective economic model so that the programme could cover many more institutions, a DIPR report stated.

Also speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rhondemo Kikon from CHI pointed out that isolated geography, poor infrastructure, lack of skilled healthcare, low percent of hospitals/ health centres, low percent mother and child healthcare, low vaccine coverage in children are some of the challenges. Kikon also shared that the main focus of the NGO was primary healthcare service, water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion, nutrition and livelihood.

CHI director, Loreni Sophia, while highlighting on MHMP, informed that menstruation taboos/ stigma still exist in India. She informed that there are 355 million menstruating women in India out of which 23 million women dropped out of school annually due to lack of menstrual hygiene and management. She cited lack of sanitary napkins, lack of functional toilets and low awareness on menstruation as the main reasons for early school drop-outs.

Loreni also informed that besides Dimapur Government College, the Dimapur district administration in collaboration with CHI would be extending the MHMP programme to Lengrijan GHS,  Nagarjan GHSS, Nepali Kashiram Sarbura GHS and the deputy commissioner’s office, Dimapur.

DGC principal has termed the day ‘momentous and a welcomed step’ for the  female students numbering around 800 of the college. He expressed gratitude to the DC, Dimapur, for donating the machines and opined that it would be an eye opener for other schools and colleges.

He stated that out of the 15 government colleges in Nagaland, DGC would be the first college to have such a facility.