Vaginal infection. Recently, I have been talking a lot about it through my blogs. After publishing blogs and interacting with women in my village and girls at school, I have decided to take my message to an even wider public. On the 20th of August, I started working with MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child (HIMC)’S MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) project for the same. The day began with us visiting the MAMTA HIMC office and interacting with Mrs. Anamika Singh. She explained the functioning of MAMTA HIMC and the different projects it is undertaking at various government schools. I was incorporated into the MHM project which focuses on menstrual health and hygiene in adolescent girls.
I began working with the students of GGIC (Government Girls Inter College), Indira Nagar, Lucknow. I asked them if they knew anything about Vaginal Infections. I was not shocked to hear that many of them didn’t. I, with Anamika ma’am’s support, introduced the topic to them and explained the cause and symptoms of Vaginal Infection to them.
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We also heard the stories of all the girls who had suffered from or had seen people suffering from Vaginitis. Believe me, all of them were heart rendering stories of women suffering from the mental, physical and social stigma connected with Vaginal Infection. They had suffered everything, alone and in silence. Not even one of them had come up to speak for her health and take her stand.
Working with MAMTA-HIMC filled me with new energy and vigor. I became determined that I had to work even harder for the welfare of all the “silent sufferers”. I resolved to break the silence of all the women who are prohibited by society to come forward and speak out for even their health.
I also want women to understand that it is often them who tie shackles around themselves. It is mostly them and not society who turn diseases like Vaginal infections into a taboo. We all have got to speak for ourselves before it is too late.
My final message to women will once again be to make their health their priority and speak for themselves.
Stay Healthy!! Stay Empowered!!
