Marayoor (Kerala): Tribal Adivasi women and girls in three villages of Kerala's Idukki district have been taking oral contraceptive pills for different purpose, not to get menstruated. They have been popping contraceptive pills to avoid the inconvenience of those few days, say people from the area.
As a result - the practice begins from the time girls start menstruating - many have stopped conceiving in the villages of Marayoor, Vattavada and Kanthaloor, say activists. Idukki is around 300 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
I said he was shocked to hear about this phenomenon and, upon inquiring into it, found it to be true.
'According to Adivasi customs, on the days of menstruation the women have to stay away from their homes and remain for at least three days at a separate place called Valapurai. Since the facilities at these Valapurai are not good, they have found an easy way out - popping a pill and not menstruating,'Idukki Lok Sabha member P.T. Thomas told IANS.
Helping the women not to menstruate is Mala-D, an oral contraceptive pill produced by the central public sector Hindustan Latex Limited.
Shops in these three villages have apparently been making a killing selling Mala-D and that too at an exorbitant price.
According to the traditions of these Adivasis, at least for three days during the menstruation period they have to stay in the Valapurai and during those days they are not supposed to see the face of any men.
Around 29 percent of the population in these three villages are Adivasis - approximately 2,000 in each - mostly belonging to the Muthuvan tribes. They are engaged in farming activities.
Pankajam, a health worker at Marayoor Health Centre, said it is absolutely correct that these women take oral contraceptives to avoid menstruation.
'We do conduct health camps, conduct stage shows to educate them about why they should stop this. But one problem is that with the Tamil Nadu border quite close to these villages, if they don't get the contraceptive from shops here, then there are agents who supply it from there,' said Pankajam.
Thomas said: 'It was only last week that I opened two Valapurai under the Kanthaloor village council. We used funds from the National Rural Health Mission. I have also spoken to the drugs controller to see that immediate steps are taken to see that they raid shops selling the contraceptive. We have also begun a serious awareness campaign among the Adivasis to see that they desist from taking this oral contraceptive.'
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