Sanitary products should be more affordable and accessible

EDITOR – I believe that sanitary products should be more accessible in public bathrooms and shops. The reason I am concerned about this is because many households are not able to use these products because of the prices.

I have noticed that whenever I walk into a public bathroom, there are rarely any sanitary products available to use, only if I pay for them. However, there is always toilet paper that I can use for free. This means that if a woman is on her period, she will have to pay money, that she may not have with her, for a tampon. I think this is very unfair and it is a very serious topic that should be fixed.

I think that the prices for pads and tampons should be lowered. These are necessary products for women and are very important. Other important utilities, such as toilet paper are very cheap in shops and supermarkets, costing around €2 – €3. But pads and tampons are costing around €5 – €6. This is a very big issue as these sanitary products are just as important as toilet paper, although they are costing nearly double the price. These prices will cause women to stop buying and using them, which can lead to illness or infection.

One way we can stop this from happening is if we provide more products like pads and tampons in public bathrooms.

 We can have them more accessible in schools, by having a box containing these products, and whoever needs one will be able to take it and not feel uncomfortable in school.

Emily Korinek,

(TY student),

Sacred Heart Secondary School,

Clonakilty.

COPD is better known as chronic bronchitis

EDITOR – More than two-thirds of the 380,000 people estimated to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, in Ireland, have absolutely no idea that they have the disease.

Most regrettably, there will likely be some reading this letter who fall into this category.

Indeed, according to the national healthcare quality reporting system, between 2019 and 2021, there were 3,087 hospital admissions of people from Cork due to COPD.

COPD is perhaps more commonly known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema. The sooner it is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of preventing, or delaying, it from developing into severe COPD.

If you have been experiencing ongoing breathlessness, have a cough that won’t go away, with or without phlegm, and are over the age of 35, then you are urged to seek a spirometry lung check.

Of course, exercise is one of the best things that we can do to improve our breathing and symptoms.

This year World COPD Day is on Wednesday November 15th, and from 12 midday to 2pm, COPD Support Ireland will host a Step Up and Step Out virtual exercise masterclass.

The online event for people with COPD will feature exercise coaching, physical activity challenges, and presentations from experts with lots of tips on how to stay active.

To mark the day, people with COPD and their supporters are also being encouraged to take part and set themselves a challenge of a target number of steps, individually or as part of a group.

To register, visit www.copd.ie. The advice line is freefone 1800 832 146 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm), to make an appointment to speak with a specialist nurse or physiotherapist.

Joan Johnston,

COPD Support Ireland,

Dublin 18.

Gazans are entitled to defend themselves

EDITOR – I am mindful of the authoritative words of John Ging the UNWRA representative.

Speaking on Gaza in 2014 he said ‘the problem here is the destruction of a civilised society where 80% of Gazans are dependent on food aid, with water and sewage on the brink of crisis. Their housing has been destroyed. They are not terrorists or violent people. They are a deeply civilised people, not withstanding the provocative nature and injustice of their circumstance. They want to live in dignity with the basic fundamental freedoms and human rights.’ They are victims of a policy within the core elements of the 1948 Genocide Convention. They are entitled to exist and defend themselves, even with weapons – that is anchored in international law. These words remain true today as the Zionist forces seek to eliminate Palestinians from the Unholy Land.

Daniel Teegan,

Pairc na Fana, Union Hall.

The West has to demand a ceasefire

EDITOR – I have to agree with Evie Nevin in last week’s paper when she defended the right of President Michael D Higgins to express his concern on the ongoing destruction of Gaza.

The Israeli ambassador, clearly speaking for the Israeli government, was out of order publicly criticising our elected president. How would they feel if the Irish ambassador to Israel criticised the Israeli president on any issue? Hamas committed a war crime in attacking civilians on October 7th. They need to be held accountable for that by the international community. Their religious zealotry are not the values we share in the Western world. Israel also has the right to defend its self – but within the boundaries of recognised international law and standards. They have not done so and shame on them for that. Extremism on both sides has resulted in the death of innocents and this is unacceptable. Western governments need to demand an immediate ceasefire, relief aid, rebuilding Gaza with foreign aid and start to implement a two-State solution.

Eamonn Kirwan,  

Innishannon.