Sneha' launched in Manipal to mark Women's Day

Manipal, March 8: The Community Medicine Department of KMC, Manipal and Manipal Institute of Technology launched 'Sneha', a personal hygiene product for women and adolescent girls from the economically weaker section of the society on the occasion of 101^st International Women's Day at Manipal University on Tuesday.

“The personal hygiene support programme was started way back on May 7, 2009 at Kukku da Katte, Parkala with an objective of empowering rural women and introducing the concept of menstrual hygiene by creating awareness among rural adolescent girls and about the importance of reproductive health,” said Dr Veena Kamath, Prof and Head Community Medicine Dept.

She added, “This was initiated as a pilot project and a women's Self Help Group was selected from the local area and trained by the resource person from Chennai for the purpose. For the success of the project, the community targeted Anganwadi workers, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), rural women during SHG meetings and rural adolescent school going girls in Udupi district”.

A number of activities have been carried out over the last 21 months with the help of local sponsors like Dr RSP Rao, a former professor department of Community Medicine, KMC Manipal, Rotary, Lions and Inner Wheel clubs and Dr G Sankar Family Trust.

The expenditure involved for a school with 50 students which requires 50 sanitary napkin packets (with eight apiece) every month entails a cost of Rs 13,200 for a year,.

Health education sessions have been conducted across a population of approximately 6000 persons consisting of Anganwadi trainees, ASHA trainees, lady teachers and adolescent girls of rural schools and hostels so as to create awareness on the use of sanitary napkins and its safe disposal.

“The department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, Manipal with the help of the Incubation Centre has improvised the equipment required for the manufacture of 'Sneha' the sanitary napkins, “ said Prof Y.N. Sharma of the Mechanical department.

Pro Chancellor of Manipal University, DR H.S. Ballal said that the University would provide all assistance to ensure that the project covers more and more areas. “It is an important factor as far as education is concerned, as a number of girls drop out of schools when they attain puberty simply because they lack awareness about personal hygiene and their inability to buy sanitary napkins”.