Health issues faced by female workers in the readymade garment (RMG) factories of Bangladesh were discussed at a roundtable held recently by the Daily Star and SNV Netherlands, an international non-profit development organisation, in Dhaka. According to a Daily Star report, the meeting on “Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Garment Workers through Health Insurance” was told that the RMG sector witnessed loss of around $22.5 million every year due to absenteeism. A research study pointed that 20 per cent female workers remained absent due to illness related to menstrual hygiene. Farhtheeba Rahat Khan, team leader, Working with Women Project at SNV, said that 85 per cent of Bangladesh’s 4.2 million workers are women, who fall in the 18 to 35 age group. She further added that SNV with the support from Dutch embassy is implementing health insurance business models in eight RMG factories. MJ Azim, managing director, Pragati Life Insurance, said $0.5 per month given by each RMG worker can provide them assurance of getting all medical expenses.
