By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When Anagha V, a Class VI student of Government Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattom, was given a packet of the sanitary pads, she looked perplexed. She was hesitant to take it at first. She was attending a menstrual hygiene awareness programme organised at the school by the National Health Mission in association with Stayfree and Vishudhi, a group of medical students from UAE. Anagha is not the only girl ignorant about menstruation and hygiene health practices. Menstrual practices are still clouded with taboos and socio-cultural restrictions. This is the primary reason why adolescent girls remain ignorant of the facts and hygiene practices, leading to adverse health problems. To raise awareness about menstrual hygiene for young girls, a team of medical students from the Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, UAE, are conducting menstruate hygiene campaign in schools. Lekshmi Harilal and her team, Haifa Manaf, Wafa Manaf, Yedu, Sincy, Fathima Farzana, Anjana, Sneha, Amritha and Smrithi have taken up this mission to reach out to at least 1,500 adolescent girls in government schools in the district. With the slogan ‘Sanitize the Stigma’, they have covered two Government high schools in Vazhamuttom and Pattom. As part of the campaign, the young girls who participated in the campaign were given a questionnaire pre and post-event which was prepared by the Vishudhi team. “We noticed that there was a lack of awareness among adolescent girls. So, we thought of ensuring that they know how to manage their periods confidently and hygienically,” said Lekshmi Harilal, team leader, Vishudhi. The programme was an interactive session where the girls clarified their doubts about menstruation and also questioned the organisers about the food habits to be followed during menstruation. Manju T L, the school research group convenor of Government Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattom, said, “More awareness should be given to the parents as many refuse to send their children to school during periods.” The campaign ended with the installation of vending machines and incinerators in schools and distribution of sanitary napkins among girls.

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