Chennai: Tamil Nadu is considering a dedicated public health policy for menopausal women, health minister K G Arunraj said on Saturday, acknowledging that existing programmes provide inadequate attention to health concerns of women at this stage.“While there are dedicated programmes for conditions such as tuberculosis, AIDS and blindness, there is no focused national or state programme for menopausal health. The department will soon discuss the proposal with chief minister C Joseph Vijay,” Arunraj said, after attending a seminar by Indian Menopause Society and Chennai Menopause Society.“Women account for half the population, and each woman spends about one-third of her life in the post-menopausal period,” he said. However, issues arising from hormonal changes before and after menopause were often neither understood nor adequately addressed. Women may start to experience symptoms two to three years before menopause, but there is a lack of awareness. Social stigma around discussing the condition often prevents them from seeking medical advice. “As population ages, more women will need special care,” he said.Rural women are often left to suffer in silence, he said. Recalling his time as a medical officer in a govt primary health centre, the minister said many women above 45 reported pain and cramps in their limbs. Such complaints were sometimes dismissed and treated only with painkillers or vitamin supplements although they could be connected to hormonal changes and require a multidisciplinary approach.“There are several treatment options and multidisciplinary methods available. Health department will make necessary arrangements to address the issue,” he said.
