Karnataka plans first-of-its-kind women's health policy with focus on menopause

Published 5 August 2026 · local

Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader on Tuesday said the state government plans to introduce a special health policy dedicated to women, with

Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader on Tuesday said the state government plans to introduce a special health policy dedicated to women, with a primary focus on menopause-related issues. The proposed policy, to be called 'Ruthutaare', has been described by the minister as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. Khader said the government decided to move towards a separate policy as women’s health concerns are currently covered under the broader health policy framework, which may have reduced the priority given to them. Read Full Story He said the initiative would focus on helping women manage health and mental stress during menopause, mainly through preventive measures and lifestyle guidance.

"Karnataka government plans to introduce a special health policy for women at the earliest. We have a health policy, not only in the state but across the country there is no separate women health policy. As all health programmes concerning women come under the common health policy, probably the priority that should be given to women has got reduced," Khader told reporters in Bengaluru. He added, "We have discussed all these and in the days ahead, probably for the first time in the country, we have planned to introduce a women health policy in Karnataka with the name Ruthutaare, which is related to menopause." According to the minister, doctors have advised that women face many mental and health issues during menopause, and the proposed policy is meant to help them manage their lifestyle during this period and reduce mental stress.

"This will focus on preventive measures without taking medication. To assist and share information to the Health Department in framing this policy, which is the first of its kind in the country, we are constituing a policy committee headed by Dr Jyotsna Mirlay (consultant, infertility specialist) and officials," he said. Khader said film actress and former MP Ramya had been appointed brand ambassador to create awareness and ensure that the purpose of women and child health initiatives reaches people. As a first step, he said, ASHA workers will conduct a house-to-house survey to collect data on women in perimenopause and menopause stages, and share basic information on health and lifestyle with them.

He said the programme would be rolled out stage by stage, and that ASHA workers would be trained before the survey begins. The minister also said the proposal would later be discussed with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for implementation across the country. Overall, the state plans to begin with awareness, data collection and support at the community level before taking the proposed women’s health policy forward. Ends