Last week 28th May 2018 was World Menstrual Hygiene Day and one of the global champions for Menstrual Hygiene HEAL FOR AFRICA INITIATIVE led by the founder Dr Kelechi Okoro told newsmen at Al-Ansar Secondary School in Lokoja where they held a campaign to commemorate the day, that the NGO enjoined concerned government and other stakeholders to provide WASH (Water, Sanitation And Hygiene) facilities in public schools across the country as part of activities to promulgate menstrual hygiene.
According to Dr Kelechi, universal, affordable and sustainable access to WASH is a key public health issue within international development and is the focus of Sustainable Development Goal 6.
She said that the WASH facilities in schools would enable the girl-child to stay comfortably well in school during their menstrual period, saying "a girl must not miss school because of her menstrual period.’’
The NGO also trained and empowered over 300 schoolgirls in Kogi State on safe and healthy menstrual hygiene, and gave them free sanitary pads and personal hygiene products.
"This program is the official launch of Pay Attention To Her (PATH) project, aimed at promoting good menstrual hygiene and educating the public that menstruation is everybody's business, and not just for female alone.
"We are here to educate and empower over 300 schoolgirls on good menstrual hygiene and give them free sanitary pads and hygiene products.
"We will also train the girls on how to make reusable pads from local materials, and teach them how to dispose the used pads.
"We need to let our girls know that whatever sanitary method they use while menstruating, must be hygienic, and that they should not feel ashamed during their Period," Dr. Okoro said.
She also recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture to look into production of reusable biodegradable eco-sanitary pads made from agricultural materials, saying it would be more hygienic, safer and affordable than the disposable ones.
"This sensitization and training is going to be a continuous program that will cover all schools in Kogi State, Nigeria and Africa. We are positive that the PATH project is going to be a huge success.
"Period is a thing of pride, you don't have to be ashamed of it, it is everybody's business. We need everybody to show support for it, because it is important to health and nation building.
"We are talking about empowering a girl child through personal hygiene; it is not just about health but also about social development.
"We thank our partners from across Nigeria and beyond who had donated passionately through internet to support this initiative; we call for more support to reach out to more girl child.
The medical doctor, however advised Nigerians to shun archaic and religious beliefs that made women to feel they were unclean and unworthy when menstruating.
“Menstruation should not be something hidden or to be ashamed of, instead, the girls should be empowered with enough information and means to make their menstrual periods more hygienic and comfortable for them,” Dr. Okoro said.
In her remarks, Dr Folashade Ayoade, the Secretary to Kogi State Government (SSG), advised the schoolgirls to take care, take charge and practice all they have been taught during the training and study hard.
"Don't allow any man or boy to buy you over with an Android phone or recharge card, study hard to be empowered, you must study harder to have the highest Degree in your academic.
"I feel so excited and proud of the initiator of this program because it is something that is worthy of teaching that our children need to know about," she said.
Mrs Petra Onyegbule, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the NGO said: "Girl-child are part of the society, they are a vocal group for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development,
Onyegbule, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Yahaya Bello, advised the girls to know the purpose of their existence, and never allow anybody to put them down, stressing that they were unique and peculiar.
"We are all human beings and should not be ashamed when we made mistakes, there's no shame in getting stained sometimes as a girl child during menstrual period.
"We must demystify menstrual period because 'period is period, Period'.
"Empowerment is not all about giving out money, it is about educating, sensitizing, and enlightening a girl child to grow up and become an important personality in life.
"Empower a girl child to be well informed, bold, educated so as to become important personality in life," she said.
Dr Ahmed Attah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, urged the girls to take the rare opportunity and utilize them, saying the should be courageous and hardworking in order to be successful in the society.
"The idea of giving this information on hygienic component of menstruation is laudable, and I think it is a thing they should hold on to and work with throughout their life and career," Attah said.
One of the girls, Aishat Mohammed, said she was delighted about the empowerment program for the girl child, saying it has really broadened her knowledge about menstrual hygiene.
"A very big thank you to the convener of the training. For being part of this program today, I can boast that I now know more things about menstruation," Aishat said.
Another girl, Mercy Sunday, said that the program was very interesting, saying "it has enlightened me to know who I am and how to maintain a good menstrual and personal hygiene, and develop my potentials as woman."
The items distributed includes: Stationary, soaps and detergents, antiseptics, deodorants, tissue paper, sanitary pads, sucks, provisions, drinks, among others.
By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja, May 31, 2018
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