With an aim to ensure women’s hygiene, the government has slashed the prices of sanitary napkins from Rs 2.50 to just Re 1 per piece sold at the Jan Aushadi. The biodegradable napkins - available in a pack of four – will be sold at a subsidized price under the brand ‘Suvidha’ at 5,500 such stores across the country.

In rural areas, many women still use pieces of cloth and rags during menstruation period. Unaffordability of sanitary napkins is often the primary reason for this, though lack of awareness is also seen as a problem.

Use of cloth and other unhygienic means, not only leads to a range of diseases among women, mainly adolescents but also results in a significant school drop out.

In rural India, 23 percent of girls listed menstruation as the chief reason for dropping out of school. As many as 28 per cent of them said they do not do to school during their period because they lack clean and affordable protection, according to figures collated by Rutgers, an organisation for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Estimates show that 2.2 crore sanitary napkins hve been sold from the Jan Aushadi Kendras in last one year. “With reduction in the prices, we expect the sales to jump over two times. We are focusing on quality, affordability and accessibility,” minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya said.

The government also launched Jan Aushadi Sugam Mobile App for locating Jan Aushadi stores along with details of generic medicines available in these stores. People can avail a number of options like locating nearby Jan Aushadi Kendra, search Janaushadi generic medicines, analyse product comparisons of generic vs branded medicine in form of maximum retail price (MRP) and overall savings.

The problem these stores face is not many people know about it and thus they sell most of their products too NGOs or other such organisations. But on most days, very few people come to buy. People visit the store from areas such as Khora colony and Trilokpuri.

Since the lockdown many women have switched to ordinary pads, and in an interaction with the women staying near Dhama’s shop revealed that most are still unaware of the cheaper alternative at the Jan Aushadi Kendra. Most of them find it difficult to buy sanitary napkins since their daughters stopped going to school.  

Dr Surbhi Singh, gynaecologist and founder of NGO Sachhi Saheli, said, "It took some time for subsidised sanitary napkins sold by the kendras to pick up. Recently, many people have donated these pads to the NGO. I have distributed them among needy women across the city. Some gave positive feedback, while others said that they are not very comfortable as they are smaller than napkins made by other companies."