Andhra Pradesh: Govt announces to provide free Sanitary Napkins to School students

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the 'Swechha' programme to ensure affordable access to health and menstrual hygiene products among adolescent girls and women. Swechha means freedom and the programme is intended to prioritize female personal hygiene and encourage a healthy dialogue of information, said the state government in an official statement.

"A total of 120 napkins per year has been allotted to every female student, even during summer vacations, the students will be supplied with their quota before they leave school. A financial outlay of Rs 32 crores has been set aside", the govt said. The brands being supplied in government schools are Whisper and Niine. 

"Each school will have a female educator appointed as a nodal officer to assist the female students with sanitary napkins supply, safe methods of disposal, and any assistance the students may require. For a safer and environment-friendly way of disposal, the state government has set up 6,417 incinerators across the state through the Clean Andhra Pradesh (CLAP) initiative", reported News18.

As per a report by the United Nations Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, "23% of girls in India drop out of school due to lack of menstruation products, inadequate surroundings to change sanitary napkins, lack of running water, and absence of disposal facilities."