Finance
The Odisha Cabinet approved a proposal to expand the distribution of free belted sanitary napkins to institutional delivery and post-Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) cases at government facilities in 30 districts, therefore transforming the current KHUSI scheme into KHUSI+.
The Government of Odisha launched the KHUSI Scheme in 2018 to provide free sanitary napkins to teenage girls in all government and government-aided schools in 314 Blocks and 05 Municipal Corporations. This program aims to empower women and ensure better health and hygiene for them.
As a result of the program’s effective implementation, 81.5% of women in Odisha use hygienic means of protection during their menstrual period, which is among the highest in the country and higher than the national average of 77.3 % as per NFHS 5 report The State Government has now expanded the existing scheme to KHUSI+, by expanding the supply of free distribution of belted sanitary napkins to Institutional Delivery & post Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) cases in Govt. facilities in 30 districts.
The primary goals of the KHUSI+ Scheme are to improve access to high-quality sanitary napkins, educate teenage girls about menstrual hygiene, and enhance personal hygiene in institutional delivery and MTP cases, all of which will lower the state’s rates of maternal mortality and morbidity.
The Health & Family Welfare Department of the Government of Odisha is in charge of carrying out the programme, which has an allocation of Rs 511.93 crore for the years 2021–2022 to 2025–2026 from the State budget. Free sanitary napkins will be given under the program to 17,83,901 female students enrolled in government and government-aided schools in grades 6 through 12, as well as to all institutional delivery and MTP cases in government health institutions.
Odisha State Medical Corporation is the nodal agency for the procurement, distribution and monitoring of the KHUSI+ Scheme. The Scheme will go a long way in promoting health and hygiene among adolescent girls and to reduce the incidence of maternal mortality and morbidity in the State.
