Moved by the theme of ‘PadMan’ featuring Akshay Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Anurag Thakur has initiated a campaign in his Parliamentary constituency Hamirpur to ensure that all the women get an access to affordable sanitary napkins.
The campaign aims at improving the menstrual health of women by making sure that they have access to affordable sanitary napkins. Thakur said the Self Help Groups of Women and Mahila Mandal in Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency will be mobilised to make cheap and good quality sanitary napkins and distribute judiciously to every house.”This would ensure that no girl or women is left without the basic right of access to affordable sanitary napkins,” said Anurag.
The MP said it was extremely unfortunate that even today when women of our country on one hand are attaining great heights, there is still a huge chunk of girls and women who do not have access to basic health needs such as sanitary napkins.
“There are over 40 per cent of such families that do not have access to sanitary napkins. They stick to traditional methods of using old cloth, sarees, or bed sheets as sanitary napkin and in worst cases even resort to using ashes or husk sand. This in turn leads to various health hazards and serious medical complications amongst women.”
Thakur said it was imperative to understand that the Central government’s scheme of distribution of sanitary napkins through ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers and the department is done effectively.
Referring to PadMan, he said Akshay Kumar has made a good start with this movie to create awareness on an important issue. “I am sure that it will send a strong message to advocate the need of using sanitary napkins.
Taking this forward, I will ensure that all girls or women of my constituency are not deprived of the right to a healthy living. I urge everyone to join me in this campaign and make a difference in the lives of our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives,” he said.