16th of July, 2016
Nuagarh village, Paradeep
Essar Foundation’s initiative ‘Teen Circle’ has been designed for adolescents to come together, and be able to freely discuss their views towards various topics, especially health. More than 60 adolescent young girls, including thirty of the Teen Circle, underwent a health checkup, followed by a counselling session recently. They also participated in an interactive session involving information on adolescent health, hygiene and nutrition.
For this group of young girls in Nuagarh village, Paradeep, discussing menstrual hygiene, nutrition and reproductive health became an eye-opening experience. Their understanding of such issues was limited, and fraught with misinformation because of their minimal exposure to candid talk about the matter, as well as negligible access to information.
The Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) team of the Foundation conducted this special awareness camp. Dr Niranjan Dwivedy, of the MMU and the local health functionary (ANM) discussed the importance of nutritious food for the girl child, adolescent and maternal health, menstrual hygiene, the importance of sanitary napkin use and its disposal, reproductive health issues, and screening for early detection of uterus related problems. The local Government ANM (health worker) and Anganwadi workers also attended the camp. Nutritional supplements were provided to the girls during the camp. Similar camps are set to be conducted to bring more adolescent youth and women in its fold, in future.
