In order to promote menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in rural areas, the ministry of health and family welfare has decided to distribute sanitary napkins in villages at nominal rates.

This new scheme that has been launched as a part of the National Rural Health Mission, will help poor adolescent girls who cannot afford sanitary napkins. Now they will not have to miss five days of school every month as the govt is going to make a pack of six sanitary napkins available to every girl every month for just Rs. 6/- . The sanitary napkins that are being procured from Hindusthan Latex Limited (HLL) and have been branded as ‘Freedays’ will be provided to village girls, along with adequate knowledge on menstrual hygiene, by the trained community health workers - ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist).

In exchange of promoting the scheme, the ASHA will be paid an incentive of Re 1 for the sale of each pack. Apart from an incentive of Rs 50 for facilitating monthly meetings with adolescent girls, the ASHA will also be given a free pack of ‘Freedays’ every month for her personal use during the first year of implementation of the scheme.

The new scheme is being looked upon as a major step in controlling Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI) in the country where 88% of women resort to the use of unhygienic alternatives during menstruation.

In the first phase, the scheme is being implemented in 152 districts across 20 states of the country.  The sanitary napkins are being supplied to 1091 blocks of these districts. An order of 3.22 crore packs has been placed with HLL.  By March-end, supply had been received in 650 blocks in 78 districts. Supply to the rest of the districts is expected to be completed by end of May this year.