Period poverty in Jamaica is to be addressed by the government, according to Health Minister Christopher Tufton, who made the announcement during his Sectoral debate in parliament on Tuesday.

Period poverty is one of 10 areas that will get attention under the government’s new initiative, the half-a-billion dollar Social Determinants of Health CARE Fund, the minister disclosed.

“We will be embarking on a multi-sectoral National Menstrual Health Equity pilot initiative to distribute menstrual hygiene kits and conduct education sessions in eight schools with high concentrations of PATH-registered girls, using an integrated school-health approach to adolescent wellness – incorporating menstrual wellness with WASH (water, sanitization, hygiene) improvements, HPV vaccinations, personal hygiene education, and HIV/STI prevention,” Tufton said.