New Zealand company offers free sanitary products to managed isolation facilities

Women in controlled isolation, thanks to a Kiwi company, can no longer risk the’ indignity’ of being given a nappy in lieu of sanitary items. Oi, a New Zealand company that manufactures plastic-free sanitary products, has offered to provide test packs of sanitary products that can be sent to returnees to all 32 controlled isolation and quarantine facilities.

The Herald reported last week that a woman whose time came during her flight from Europe was told that she had to wait at least four hours for workers at her controlled isolation facility to purchase sanitary products for her and that in the meantime she had been given a nappy.

The story inspired Helen Robinson, co-founder and chief executive of Oi, to cross off one of the things on her to-do list and she has since approached all the isolation facilities that promise to include as many free trial packs as they need.

After several discussions with the nurses, the idea first came to her when she spent two weeks in isolation at Four Stages by Sheraton on her return a month ago from a business trip to the United States. In lieu of sanitary goods, Robinson said it was “absolutely appalling” a woman was given a nappy.

“Half the population for half their lives gets a period. It’s as basic a need as toilet paper and to not have that on hand is not good enough,” she said. “If the Government is going to enforce managed isolation then they must front up and provide basic necessities.” You can find the details of business by doing company search NZ here.

Last week a Controlled Isolation and Quarantine spokesperson told the Herald that people were supposed to supply their own personal products and could order them if they wanted to through online shopping. If they were unable to do so they could ask for assistance from controlled isolation personnel, they said.

Employees are committed to ensuring that guests stay as relaxed as possible in controlled isolation and quarantine and will even go out of their way to ensure that a visitor gets what they need.’ Robinson said the deal would cost $1000-$2000 a month per isolation facility for her company, but she felt they had a responsibility to ensure that women were taken care of.

She said It’s just filling a basic human need,” The trial packs were not meant to last for a whole time, but were adequate for a woman to tide over before she could buy more. Robinson said it was difficult enough to handle loneliness without the burden of being caught out by an unexpected time. “Being in managed isolation feels like you’re in jail. It is psychologically tough – it’s really tough.”

She said the feedback from hotels was positive and the bid had already been taken up by a number. Last week, Danika Revell, The Period Place’s chief executive, and co-founder, told the Herald she believed that sanitary products should be available in every room. She said It’s hard enough being in isolation without the indignity,”