DODA: A private Hospital and a Firm dealing in Healthcare have donated 16 Sanitary Pad vending machines for Schools of Doda district.
Director Ankur Maitrika Hospital Jammu, Dr Ajay Wakhloo and Zonal Sales Manager, Foregen Healthcare Limited, Vinod Rajpurohit donated the Sanitary Pad vending machines to the schools.
The donated machines were received by Deputy Commissioner, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, in presence of Principal Government Medical College, Dr Puja Vimesh the other day. The machines will be further provided to the Government schools to benefit the girl students.
It was informed that 34 more vending machines would be provided to the district in the first instance followed by more such machines to saturate all the high schools in the district. The Sanitary Pads Vending machines are refillable and dispense one pad at a time on pressing the button.
The DC Doda welcomed the gesture and said that the District Administration has been engaging women SHGs to make indigenous pads and pad vending machines for the schools. He further said that an intensive awareness campaign regarding menstrual hygiene and changing the negative mind set around menstrual health management has already been launched through Mission Shakti and other women agencies and SHGs, in the district.
It is pertinent to mention here that lack of menstrual hygiene management is a major factor affecting the studies and attendance in schools of girl students, especially in the rural areas, in addition to the health problems being faced by them.