'70% of women use old clothes instead of sanitary pads due to affordability'

Health specialists, at an event in Khagrachari, have said 70% of women in the country are using old clothes instead of using sanitary pads which can lead to infertility and even life-threatening diseases. 

At an awareness workshop on the use of reusable sanitary pads held in Matiranga Upazila of the district on Monday, they also said that many women in the hilly areas use used clothes because they cannot afford sanitary pads due to poor affordability

In this context scientifically developed reusable sanitary pads can be a worry-free solution for these women, they pointed out. 

Matiranga's Pitachara Health Centre arranged the event and distributed reusable sanitary pads to 100 women and girls of Tripura and Chakma communities including Bengalis from the remote eight villages of the upazila, said a press release. 

At the event, Chittagong Medical College Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Professor Dr Rowsan Morshed said, "Menstruation is a very common and natural process of women like any other aspect of their daily life. Due to the shameful presentation of menstruation of this social management, lakhs of women and adolescents are suffering from various diseases and are also deprived of motherhood."

"Some special awareness of women after or during menstruation can protect them from serious diseases and permanent damage to their health. In this case, women can use eco-friendly reusable pads," she added. 

Matiranga Upazila Nirbahi Officer Daisy Chakraborty said, socially, this issue of menstruation has long been a taboo in the subcontinent. Because of this, women feel shy to disclose this problem to their families. During this time, they made various mistakes unconsciously and fell ill.

She also mentioned that along with females, the male members of the family should accept this issue easily.

Mahful Russel, founder, and director of Pitachara Health Centre, said, "With work for one year, the health centre has developed reusable sanitary pads to solve the problems of women. This pad can be washed repeatedly and used for at least one year. This pad is considered eco-friendly as it is biodegradable." 

"In the last year, 550 women in eight villages of Matiranga upazila received reusable sanitary pads. Such programme will continue in the future," he said.

Incepted in 2017, the health centre is a health project of the Healthy Heart Happy Life Organisation (HELO).