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Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Stress on menstrual hygiene among girls, hostel students
Trichy: Awareness programmes focusing on menstruating teenage girls and hostel students, were conducted by Trichy corporation's urban primary health centres (UPHCs) on Wednesday, as a part of the World Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Day observed annually on May 28. The local body promoted the availability of cost-free menstrual napkins provided by the state govt through educational institutions and anganwadis. City health officer Vijay Chandran said that the local body conducted events in libraries and anganwadi centres by inviting the targeted age group of girls and women residing nearby the centres. Since prolonged usage of menstrual napkins will cause health issues, women health volunteers and urban health nurses who conducted the sensitization drives urged the girls to change the pads frequently to prevent infections. "Unwanted fears of irregular menstruation among teenage girls who recently started menstruating were discussed by our health workers. The cycle and menstrual flow will differ for every individual woman. Young girls were advised to change their menstrual pads frequently since govt is providing free sanitary napkins," Chandran said. He added that wardens in govt hostels and anganwadi workers can be approached to obtain the napkins manufactured by women self-help groups (SHGs). Corporation said that circulars will be issued to hostels and educational institutions to ensure the working conditions of incinerators in toilets, to dispose of the used napkins. "In houses, residents can hand over the used sanitary napkins separately to the sanitary workers. They should not mix with other domestic waste," the officer added.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Tiruchi Corporation steps up vector control measures
Against the backdrop of summer showers, Tiruchi Corporation has stepped up its monitoring of any outbreak of vector-borne diseases. According to a source, the city has been registering a slight increase in fever cases and there are no active dengue cases. However, complaints of cold, cough and wheezing have been reported due to sudden climate change. Special fever camps are being conducted at the 18 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) every day. Despite the fact that residents have received a much-needed respite from the scorching heat, stagnation of rainwater on potential dengue-breeding objects has become a cause for concern. To eliminate the potential outbreak of dengue, domestic breeding checkers (DBCs) and sanitary workers have been instructed to intensify their dengue prevention drive after the city received heavy rainfall in the last few weeks. According to M. Vijay Chandran, City Health Officer, the workers have been carrying out the anti-dengue drive regularly and with the recent rainfall, the drive has been intensified. 'So far, no dengue fever cases have been reported in the city. We have stepped up surveillance measures and have to monitor for the next two weeks. Additionally, chlorination of water and monitoring the chlorine level is undertaken by officials,' he said. A team of 50 DBCs in each zone has been formed to identify and eliminate dengue sources in all zones. Anti-mosquito fogging is being carried out in all 65 wards using portable machines available in all wards and high-power fogging trucks in all five zones. They are also engaged in spraying insecticides on open storm-water drains and drainage channels. The workers have been instructed to cover closely packed residential streets and water stagnation-prone areas to check for potential mosquito breeding sources. Anti-dengue drive would be undertaken at all government schools and anganwadi centres before the reopening, the official added.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Maternal mortality ratio and infant mortality rate improve in Tiruchi city
Tiruchi city has recorded a significant improvement in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR), reflecting uptick in healthcare services. According to official sources, Tiruchi city's MMR stood at 33.1 per one lakh live births from 2024-25. A total of three maternal deaths were recorded out of 9,062 live births in the city. Earlier, from April 2023 to March 2024, an MMR of 92.4 per one lakh live births was recorded, with nine maternal deaths out of 9,735 live births. The MMR stood at 38.3 per one lakh live births in 2019-20, climbed to 66.3 in 2020-21, 68.1 in 2021-22 and slumped to 48.2 in 2022-23, and yet again climbed to 92.4 in 2023-24 in the district. As many as 548 deliveries were conducted in the urban primary health centres in the city in 2024-25 and 775 during 2023-24. The improvement in the indicators is largely due to tracking and monitoring the health of pregnant women. 'This is the best MMR in the last 10 years in the city. The maternal death has been significantly reduced from nine to three. This shows that the close monitoring of each pregnant woman can help reduction in maternal deaths. However, we aim to bring it to zero,' said M. Vijay Chandran, City Health Officer. The three maternal deaths reported in the city were high-risk pregnancies such as pregnancy after multiple abortions and IVF and were treated in private hospitals. The main causes of maternal deaths are connected to risk factors such as pulmonary embolism followed by cardiac arrest, acute coronary syndrome, and cariogenic shock, Dr. Chandran added. Infant Mortality Rate Similarly, IMR stood at 8.9 per 1,000 live births during the period 2024-25. A total of 81 infant deaths were recorded. The sex ratio is 1,011 during the same period. While in 2023-24, IMR stood at 9.2 per 1,000 live births with 91 infant deaths, and the sex ratio was 991. Health officials are conducting regular reviews of infant mortality cases, analysing the causes of death, and identifying areas for improvement. They aim to increase medical facilities and availability of emergency care services for both the baby and mother. 'Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and nutritional counselling, all of which are critical in preventing infant mortality, have been intensified,' said Dr. Chandran. There are about 32 urban health nurses (UHN) for monitoring and reviewing the growth of the newborn as well as the health of the mother. In addition, 18 UHNs have been employed by the Corporation using its General Funds.
