Sanitary pads procured under Khushi scheme lying expired

CUTTACK: Khushi scheme, launched by the previous BJD government in February 2018 to provide free sanitary pads to girl students of classes VI to XII and reduce their dropout rate, seems to have failed to serve its purpose in Cuttack district as lakhs of such napkins are found lying undistributed at the district headquarters hospital here.

The matter came to the fore five days back when the old building of the hospital was being demolished for construction purpose. With their expiry dates already lapsed in 2021, the pads worth lakhs of rupees are lying in damaged condition and stinking.

This raises the question as to why steps were not taken for distribution of the pads before their expiry and who is responsible for the loss incurred. “Had the hospital authorities dispersed the sanitary napkins on time, they would have not gone into waste,” rued a local resident.

Meanwhile, hospital superintendent Dr Arun Kumar Sahu said the hospital is not to be blamed for the damage of the sanitary pads. He said the DHH had in February 2019 received around 3 lakh sanitary pads procured through Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) from a company.

“However, after finding that the sanitary pads were of substandard quality, we brought it to the notice of the OSMCL which then issued letters to the company concerned to take them back. But the company paid no heed owing to which the pads eventually expired,” he added.