In a bid to promote the “Happy to bleed” campaign in Salt Lake, a sanitary napkin vending machine has been placed on the premises of the West Bengal Commission for Women office on the 10th floor of Jalasampad Bhavan.
The machine that vends out a pack of three sanitary napkins for Rs 10 was inaugurated by Sunanda Mukherjee, the chairperson of the state women’s commission along with other members of the body.

The “Happy to bleed” campaign was launched by women after the chief priest of Sabarimala temple in Kerala recently said that women will be allowed inside only after a machine to check whether women were menstruating is invented.

Infuriated women all over the country launched this campaign on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
“We have placed this machine to support the campaign. Traditionally there is a taboo related with menstruation. This mindset needs to be done away with. People must understand that this is a natural biological process and there is nothing to be ashamed of,” said Mukherjee.

Not only women working in government offices in the building but passers-by as well can use the machine that dispenses sanitary napkins, produced by HLL Lifecare, a government of India enterprise.

The machine recognises denominations of Rs 10, 5 and Re 1 coins. The authorities are planning to set up such machines in all government buildings in Salt Lake as well in schools and colleges.

“Since the pads are very cheap they can be used by women from all strata of society. We plan to install such dispensing machines throughout Salt Lake, especially in government buildings and colleges. We are also trying to place some in Sector V as a lot of women go there to work everyday,” Mukherjee added.

This project has been implemented in rural India and has met with great success. Women shy away from buying napkins off the counter because of the social stigma attached.

“In rural Bengal, it is not uncommon to find women using husk leaves and even sand in place of napkins. They are unhygienic and can pose serious health problems,” said Sutapa Chakraborty, the director of an NGO working on women’s issues.

Gynaecologists agree that affordable sanitary napkins go a long way in ensuring women’s health.

“If a woman is using cloth during menstruation the chance of contracting an infection is very high. Generally pieces of cloth that are reused have residual traces of blood that can cause infection. Moreover, bad bacteria thrive in damp conditions that are multiplied by sweat and can lead to urinary tract infection, vaginal infection and vaginitis. So ideally women should use disposable sanitary napkins,” said Dr Kasturi Bhowmick, a gynaecologist. 

Salt Lake and its adjoining areas have a huge floating population of domestic helps and cooks who visit the township daily.

“I generally use cloth. But I will try and get a pack from the machine if they cost so little,” said Uma Dolui, who works as a domestic help in Salt Lake.

But the choice of sites for the machine will prove critical. Chhaya Majhi, a slum dweller, wondered if she would be allowed to enter the building at all, leave alone access the machine. “It is on the 10th floor. What do I say if someone stops me at the entrance?” Dolui shot back, on being informed about the facility.