Hyderabad, May 29, 2023: Hyderabad Chapter of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) celebrated on Saturday, the World Menstrual Hygiene Day in the presence of Smt Pamela Satpathy, the District Collector of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District with 800 village women in city outskirts at the school in the village Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District.

Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day celebrated on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management. This program was done by FLO under the initiative ‘Sustain Her Health’, said Ms. Ritu Shah, while addressing 800 plus women in a function held at ZPHS School in Puttapaka

It is not the first time that we have come to this village, I happened to visit this village several times before. Puttapaka sarees made here are unique. It is known for its tie and dye style of saree, she said. Puttapaka village is also known for Teliya Rumal, a handkerchief. It is a dying craft, which we have adopted to promote and revive, Ritu Shah informed.

Ms Ritu Shah announced that it had adopted Puttapaka Village.

On the occasion FLO donated four thousand eight hundred Sanitary Pads, Two Mobile Toilets, a Sanitary Pads Vending Machine and an incinerator (Sanitary Pads Burning Machine) through the hands of Collector Smt. Pamela Satpathy to the Puttapaka Villagers.

FLO has also organised a free health camp on the occasion. 800 plus women utilised this opportunity.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Pamela Satpathy, the District Collector said that she was happy to participate in the World Menstrual Hygiene Day. Good menstrual health and hygiene is very important. The good practices prevent infections. They also reduce odors, and help you stay comfortable during your period. Telangana Government is giving a lot of importance to the health of women. We organise a day long health camp every Tuesday in the district at two places. She urged women to utilize the opportunity.

Seetha Reddy, a member of FLO who spoke on the occasion highlighted the importance of safe disposal of sanitary pads. It is estimated that these disposed sanitary pads into landfill take 500 years to decompose into the earth. Disposal is a major concern. Each menstruator will use and dispose of roughly anywhere between 5000 and 15 000 pads in their lifetime. Hence, they need to be burned safely in an incinerator, she educated women who were mostly illiterates.

Dr Sweta Agarwal spoke about menstrual hygiene, Physical Wellness. She told them to follow three rules of periods. One is to pay utmost importance to hygiene. The second rule is to use sanitary pads. Three is to dispose of used pads hygienically. If a newly married couple don’t have children, both the couple need to go for a checkup. Don’t blame women alone, she said. She said it is advisable to have children before thirty years of age. She also asked mid aged women to go for breast examination for cancer at least once in a year.

No one needs to feel shy talking about periods, she said.