The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Plan to tackle rural HPV incidence

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Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Plan to tackle rural HPV incidence

Staff Reporter

1,255 women found to carry the virus which leads to cervical cancer

— PHOTO: R.M.RAJARATHINAM

HEALTH IS WEALTH: V. Veerapandi, centre, explaining health and hygiene for women at a workshop in Tiruchi on Monday.

TIRUCHI: As a preventive health-care programme to check the incidence of cervical cancer, the Health Department has drafted a special plan for curing the rural women infected with human papilloma virus (HPV) in the district.

The virus is one of the major causes leading to cervical cancer among women.

As many as 1,255 women in several villages, who were screened at the ‘Varummun Kappom’ health camps at rural areas in the district, have been diagnosed with HPV, said Deputy Director of Health V. Veerapandi while delivering the key-note address at the inaugural of a three-day UNICEF-sponsored workshop on ‘Promoting better menstrual hygiene management among self-help groups’,

Dr. Veerapandi said that follow-up treatment had been given to each woman. Radiotherapy or other methods would be considered for minor cases.

The Health Department was implementing follow-up treatment.

He said that poor menstrual hygiene often resulted in the incidence of HPV.

Although adolescent girls are free to learn about menstrual hygiene, their mothers or women relatives, have failed to guide them due to inhibitions.

To reduce HPV incidence, the Health Department has decided to permit the SHGs to market sanitary napkins in all primary health centres in the district which accounted for an average 900 delivery cases a month.

District Rural Development Agency Project Officer J. Dhanasekaran said that SHGs should ensure quality to overcome competition from multi-national firms.

Study taken up

UNICEF Water, Environment and Sanitation Officer for Tamil Nadu and Kerala A. Devaraj, who inaugurated the workshop, said that the UNICEF had taken up a state-level study on defunct SHGs manufacturing sanitary napkins.

The study focussed on manufacturing techniques adopted, quality, lack of marketing linkage and other allied issues.

Steps would be taken for the revival of these SHGs. He felt that the linkage of these SHGs with women’s college / school hostels; hospitals and clinics would go a long way in ensuring proper menstrual hygiene management.

Bharathidasan University Vice-Chancellor M. Ponnavaiko presided over the function.

N. Manimekalai, Director of Department of Women’s Studies of the University, which organised the workshop, also spoke.

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