In India, nearly 36 crore women out of the entire female population are between the ages of 15 and 50. 7 out of 10 women experience personal hygiene discomfort, amounting to nearly 25 crore people, with vaginal infection being the major cause of discomfort and distress. Vaginal infection, also known as vulvovaginitis, is an inflammation or infection of the vagina that can also affect the vulva, the exterior area of a woman’s genitals. Itching, discomfort, discharge, and odor are all symptoms of vaginitis. This infection has been scientifically linked to pelvic inflammatory disease, also known as PID, increased HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), infertility, and poor reproductive health outcomes during pregnancy.

• The infection can be tricky to diagnose due to the lack of point-of-care technological advances.
• Cultural taboos and prejudices encompassing intimate personal hygiene might stifle dialogue and the dissemination of knowledge. This can prolong agony and keep individuals from obtaining proper care and support.
• In India, having access to safe and private sanitation facilities, especially in impoverished rural regions, remains a concern. Poor personal hygiene and discomfort can be exacerbated by insufficient sanitary facilities.
• Poverty and insufficient financing constitute two societal variables that might increase intimate hygiene challenges. For marginalized populations, the provision of hygiene goods, clean water, and sanitation facilities may be inadequate.
• To lower the prevalence of infection among women, we intend to design and develop a rapid point-of-care detection test kit/device for identifying vaginal infections in women of any age range.