Cyclone Fani: Odisha govt distributes free sanitary napkins in Puri

As part of post-cyclone restoration measures, the Odisha government is distributing free sanitary napkins to all households in Puri district and will continue to do so for the next two months.

The government informed that over 24 lakh sanitary napkins have been provisioned for free supply in the district.

"Post-cyclone, sanitary napkins have been supplied to ASHA for free distribution at the doorstep of each household in Puri district, for a period of two months," an official release said, adding this would "ensure the health, hygiene and dignity of women and girls in this critical period".

Over one crore sixty-five lakh people of the state have been adversely affected due to the cyclone which hit Puri coast on May 3.

"Department of Health and Family Welfare took a number of post-cyclone measures such as ensuring health services through Medical Relief Centres, disinfection of village water sources, distribution of halogen tablets to households for safe drinking water and steps for preventing diarrheal and any outbreaks of other diseases," the release read.

The government has also constituted several monitoring teams to oversee the multiple relief measures that have been undertaken.

Sabyasachi Biswal of Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd, operator of 108 and 102 helpline service in Odisha, said about 3600 pregnant women and injured were brought to hospitals in their ambulances during the cyclone.

"From May 2 to May 4 we brought 1800 pregnant women and 1800 injured to hospitals. The telephone network was disrupted in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Cuttack, so we had informed our ambulances to coordinate with district authorities and transfer patients.