FREE MENSTRUAL CUPS FOR GIRL STUDENTS IN GOVT SCHOOLS

Rachana Ramesh | NT
Bengaluru

In a first in the country, the Karnataka government has decided to provide menstrual cups to government school girls aged between 16 and 18 years free of cost. The health department has initiated the programme on Wednesday by distributing the cups to 300 girls. Health Minister K Sudhakar launched Maitri Menstrual Cup scheme in Chamarajanagar and Dakshina Kannada districts.

It is an extension of the Shuchi scheme, through which the department provided free sanitary napkins to girls aged between 10 and 18 years. A menstrual cup is a flexible, bell-shaped cup made of medical-grade silicone or rubber which sits in the vagina and collects blood unlike cloth, sanitary pads and tampons, which absorb blood. While most cups are long-lasting and reusable, others are disposable.

It can be used for up to 12 hours, after which it is to be removed to dispose of the collected fluid and then cleaned. Although menstrual cups have been in the female hygiene market for decades, they were not popular when compared with pads or tampons.

However, of late they have been gaining acceptance because of the public concern about solid waste associated with disposable sanitary products. For women living in poverty, menstrual cups are cost-effective. However, young girls, who have just started menstruating, are not comfortable using cups or even tampons.

“I can understand young girls being uncomfortable with using a sanitary product that requires insertion into their body. At a time when they’re coping with changes in their body, it’s important to ensure they have access to clean and safe sanitary products and information that helps them understand their bodies and functions better,” says Dr Vijaya Sherbet, Consultant Gynaecologist, Manipal Hospital.

The taboo around the disruption of the hymen may also be another reason that makes young girls reluctant to use a menstrual cup. “Hymen is not a rigid structure and can be stretched due to many day to day activities like bike riding, yoga, and gymnastics. So it’s important to not place too much significance on the state of hymen,” said Dr Geeta Veerappa Komar, Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manipal Hospital.

“The use of a menstrual cup does not manifest any physical change. It can be a better option than pads as it can hold more blood than pads thus reducing the need to change often. It is also good for people who are allergic to the use of pads,” she said.

“The idea that a woman’s virtue can be affected by a cup is ridiculous. People believe that it’s acceptable only for a married woman to use a tampon or cup because she is allowed to be sexually active. Women need to be educated about these myths so that they can do better,” said Anoushka, a menstrual cup user.

The cups will be given to girls registered with the government and aided colleges over the next two months. Around 10,000 girls will be covered under the pilot programme. “I urge all adolescent girls, especially those from rural and tribal communities, to break the taboo around menstruation and adopt modern methods for hygiene,” the minister said. The programme will be extended to all districts in a year’s time.