GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION 5522
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2025
NATIONWIDE DATA ON MENSTRUAL HEALTH RELATED ISSUES
5522. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government records nationwide data on menstrual health-related phenomena like PCOD, PCOS and health problems faced during menstruation like body aches, weakness, abdominal cramps, etc., if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is considering to conduct study for different menstrual health related phenomena and their indicators that affect the day-to-day life of women, if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government record such menstrual health-related phenomena in the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS) to foster policy-making around menstruation-related health problems, if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a) to (c) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements the ‘Scheme for Promotion of
Menstrual Hygiene’ under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). The scheme implementation promotes increased awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene, increased access to sanitary napkins by adolescent girls and promotion of safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly manner. The National Health Mission supports the same through the Annual State Programme Implementation Plans (PIP) route, based on the proposals received from the States/UTs.
Information Education and Communication material developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare creates awareness on healthy practices during menstruation. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 (2019-21) shows an improvement in access to safe menstrual hygiene products for women aged 15-24 years to 77.3% as compared to 57.6% in NFHS 4 (2015-16).