Menstruation health management in Bangladesh alarming : Study

Menstruation health management state of affairs in Bangladesh is awfully alarming as 80 per cent girls are accustomed to using old pieces of cloth during their monthly period, according to a joint study on national hygiene, reports UNB.

The study also found that only 40 per cent 'khana' (dwelling area) had the facility of hand wash with soap and water after using toilet, although most of the populace claim they are aware of health manners.

According to the study report, about 40 per cent girls do not go to school for three days on average during their menstrual period and they re-use the old piece of cloth without washing in a healthy manner nor dry such used cloth properly.

The report said that in the 40 per cent 'khana' (dwelling area), it was found that the culture of washing hands after using toilet was very poor even after having soap and water. Besides, only 35 per cent schools have the facility of hand wash with soap and water.  The preliminary survey report was released at a function held in the city's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Thursday.

The report was prepared by measuring the health manners of school students at 'khana' levels. In addition, it also scaled up the rate of the health manners of doctors, nurses, restaurants, and on menstruation health of girls at national level.

Policy Support Unit of Local Government Division (LGD) conducted the "Baseline Survey on National Hygiene" in association with ICDDR,B.