CHENNAI: In a first-of-its kind initiative to inculcate healthy practices among adolescent girls and a move that would ensure the reproductive health of women in the long run, Health Minister V S Vijay on Tuesday announced that free sanitary napkins would be distributed to adolescent girls in rural areas and new mothers. As many as 41 lakh adolescent girls, seven lakh new mothers and 700 women in prisons will be benefited by this scheme for which the government has earmarked Rs 46 crore.“This may be viewed as a small announcement. But Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa evolved this scheme out of her motherly concern for the girls in rural areas. This scheme will go a long way in protecting the girls from infectious diseases like leucorrhea (white discharge) and in avoiding infertility among the girls in their later part of life,” Vijay said in the State Assembly replying to the discussion on the demands for grants for his department.The Minister said even now, out of ignorance, girls use old clothes during their monthly period times which would lead to many infections in the future. Sanitary napkins would be distributed to adolescent girls through village health nurses, anganwadi workers and through schools. The scheme will be implemented in all districts of the State.In yet another scheme to help pregnant women hailing from poor families, the Minister said the maternity assistance of `6,000 being given to them would be doubled from the current financial year. The government has earmarked `596 crore for this scheme.
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