81.5% of Women in Odisha Use Hygienic Methods of Protection during Menstrual Period, Higher than National Average: NFHS-5 Report

Bhubaneswar: 81.5% of women (15-24 years) in Odisha are using hygienic methods of protection during their menstrual period, which is higher than the National average of 77.3%.

#Odisha‘s focus on improving women’s health, by providing all adolescent girls with menstrual hygiene products through “Khusi” program, has resulted in 81.5% of women (15-24 years) using hygienic methods of protection during their menstrual period, as per the NFHS-5 report.

— H & FW Dept Odisha (@HFWOdisha) November 26, 2021

It has been revealed in the recently released Fifth Edition of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5).

Odisha’s focus on improving women’s health, by providing all adolescent girls with menstrual hygiene products through “Khusi” program, has resulted in 81.5% of women (15-24 years) using hygienic methods of protection during their menstrual period, as per the NFHS-5 report.

Odisha’s efforts in providing quality care to mothers and children is reflected in its remarkable achievement of having 92.2% Institutional births, as per the NFHS-5 report. @CMO_Odisha #OdishaCares

— H & FW Dept Odisha (@HFWOdisha) November 26, 2021

This is higher than the National average of 77.3%, informed the State Health and Family Welfare Department.

Menstrual hygiene and the awareness regarding use of sanitary napkins among the adolescent girls is one of the important areas under preventive health management initiative.

Due to lack of menstrual hygiene a large number of young girls and women fall sick. In order to address this issue, the Odisha Government had launched the scheme of free distribution of sanitary napkin under “KHUSHI” with an objective to improve menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls (Class 6th to 12th) to reduce dropout rate among girls, and to improve academic parameters.