International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) assistant scientist Farhana Sultana has been awarded for developing a machine to produce jute cellulose-based sanitary pads for sustainable menstrual health.

The American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) has also awarded Farhana with an honorarium of $5000 in the 4th Annual Innovations Pitch Competition on "A Healthier Global Community Addressing the Twin Challenges of Pandemic Preparedness and Impact of Climate Change".

In collaboration with Dr Mubarak Ahmed Khan, scientific advisor at Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation, Farhana manually developed the jute pad which is an alternative solution for menstrual health and hygiene for women and girls in Bangladesh.

Farhana Sultana will be a judge at the 2022 5th Annual Innovations Pitch Competition.

However, jute cellulose is a new material and currently, there is no machine available in the country to manufacture such pads. 

Farhana Sultana said she would conduct an industrial trial for mass production, develop a business plan, and explore options for further scale-up and waste management.

BDST: 1829 HRS, NOV 24, 2021
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