Disposal of napkins raised as a concern at consultative meet TIRUCHI: Aiming to maximise sensitisation on menstrual hygiene management and integrate it with total sanitation, the Menstrual Hygiene Management Corporation (MHMC) decentralised its operations following the UNICEF-sponsored state-level annual consultative meeting at the Kalaiarangam Hall here on Sunday. Ten regional chapters have been formed and co-ordinators appointed to network with women's development corporation, education, health, social welfare and rural development departments, particularly through the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and Village Health Nurse at the grass roots. While Chennai, Tiruchi and Pudukkottai have been retained as district chapters, regional chapters have been organised as follows: Tiruvallur- Kanchipuram-Chengalpattu; Cuddalore-Villupuram-Puducherry; Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Salem; Karur-Namakkal; Thanjavur-Tiruvarur-Nagapattinam; Kanyakumari-Tuticorin-Tirunelveli; Coimbatore-Erode-Tirupur; Tiruvanamalai-Vellore; Ramanathapuram-Sivagangai and Madurai-Theni-Dindigul-Virudhunagar. According to N.Manimekalai, secretary of MHMC, the regional chapters could either replicate models of the original district chapters or evolve their own strategies in soliciting support of policy makers, sensitising public and ensuring accessibility and disposal of sanitary napkins. They would be required to periodically report to the central office, the mentoring agency. The NGOs under the regional chapters were encouraged to integrate the project with existing women development programmes. Acknowledging the need to take menstrual hygiene management beyond the classroom, the chapters would evaluate if public toilets in both rural and urban belts were girl-friendly, meeting requirements such as adequate water supply, availability of access to clean sanitary napkins and disposal options. The chapters would then intimate authorities concerned of deficiencies. Disposal of napkins was raised as a pertinent concern and alternatives to incinerators such as prefabricated napkin dispensers were proposed. Challenges and obstacles in strengthening the initiative were discussed and the need to treat menstrual hygiene management not as a women's issue but as a social concern was stressed. Apart from sensitisation, the regional chapters would concurrently work with self help groups producing sanitary napkins, concentrating on scaling production techniques, enhancing quality and quantity of production and achieving standardisation for products. Other resolutions passed during the meeting focussed on building NGO- government partnership, inclusion of menstrual hygiene as a component of school curriculum, popularising menstrual hygiene management education through mass media and ensuring implementation of the subsidised napkin scheme mooted by the Health ministry. M.Subburaman, Director, SCOPE presided over the event. Kannaghi Chandrasekaran, president and around 75 representatives from various regions were present.