Over 90% women skip consultation on menstruation-related issues over lack of female doctors: Report
Mumbai: A new research report has highlighted the significant challenges women face when it comes to menstruation-related health care, with over 90 percent of women avoiding consultations due to a shortage of female doctors.
The report, titled 'Combating The Silence From Menarche To Menopause,' was launched on Friday by the Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation (SSMF) in Mumbai. According to the report, as cited by The Hindu, a staggering 91.7 percent of older women skip seeking medical advice for menstruation-related concerns, mainly because of the lack of women doctors.
This lack of access to proper healthcare extends beyond consultations, as the study also found that girls are reluctant to use school restrooms during menstruation due to unhygienic conditions. Many school restrooms are without basic necessities such as water, soap, or even doors, which deters girls from using these facilities.
The revealed revealed that the poor state of menstrual hygiene management in schools force girls to miss school during their menstrual cycle, with some missing up to 60 days annually.
“We want a holistic approach to managing menstrual hygiene. It is a circle, missing schools lead to dropouts, then forces marriage and further restricts them from participating in the economy,” Nirja Bhatnagar, National Director of Program and Advocacy at Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
The study focused on menstruating women in 14 districts across India, including Maharashtra, where researchers studied the conditions in Beed and Dharashiv districts. It shed light on the struggles faced by women, including those who migrated, working in sugarcane fields, brick kilns, mines, and factories.
The findings revealed that 89.9 percent of women in Beed did not view period-related issues as serious, and 70.4 percent of women in Dharashiv felt that doctors are out of reach to treat their problems. Additionally, the report raised concerns about the issue of hysterectomies—surgery to remove the uterus—among migrant women workers.
The report underscored the dire need for better facilities, education, and healthcare to address the ongoing struggles women face in managing their menstrual health, particularly in rural and migrant communities. The study also provided several recommendations for improvement, including implementation of menstrual hygiene management programs that are tailored to the local demographics.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
