As part of the Telangana government’s effort to improve menstrual health in the state, the Health, Medical and Family Welfare department has decided to distribute 33 lakh adolescent health kits to girl students studying in government schools and junior colleges over the next 18 months.
According to a Government Order (GO) that has been released, the kits will be distributed among girl students studying in 8th class to Intermediate second year (class 12) in government schools and colleges under adolescent health programme.
An amount of around Rs 70 crore will be spent on the programme to be undertaken for six months during the ongoing academic year 2022-23 and for 12 months of 2023-24. Eleven lakh kits will be distributed during the current academic year.
Each adolescent kit will contain a zipper bag, six packs of sanitary napkins and a water bottle. During the next academic year, 22 lakh kits will be distributed and each kit will have 12 packs of sanitary napkins.
S A M Rizvi, secretary, health, medical and family welfare, issued the GO giving administrative sanction for Rs 69.52 crore towards procurement and distribution of adolescent health kits. As per the GO, the expenditure will be met from National Health Mission (NHM) funds. The programme will be undertaken under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.