By Justina Auta
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), in partnership with Keffi Local Government (Keffi LG), Nasarawa State, on Wednesday sensitised the public and students on ending shame and stigma on menstruation.
The event organised by AHF, also instituted a sanitary pad bank in collaboration with Keffi LG, Keffi Primary Healthcare Agency and Keffi Ministry of Women Affairs, to ensure availability of sanitary pads for girls.
The Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is celebrated annually on May 28, with 2023 global theme: `End The Stigma on Periods’.
The annual MH Day, is to highlight the importance of menstrual care, and raise awareness about issues faced by women and girls who did not have access to clean water and sanitary products.
Dr Emma Nwabueze, Medical Director, AHF Nigeria, said that the Foundation was creating awareness, to end stigma around menstruation while ensuring young women and girls have access to menstrual pads.
Nwabueze said that, the process of menstruation had caused many girls to stay out of school due to financial inability to purchase pads, misconception and myths around menstruation, hence the need to create awareness.
“We used this opportunity to come to keffi to educate the women, girl child, male child and everybody on issues surrounding menstrual stigma.
“Some of our girls miss school because they are on their menstrual period, some do not go to school because their parents do not have money to buy the products.
“Some of our girls cannot open up and tell their parents about what is happening to their body, that is why we are here to advocate and tell people that menstruation is clean not dirty, ‘’he said.
He said that the sanitary pad bank by AHF in collaboration with its partners was to ensure continuous availability of pads in facilities for girls in school and out of school during emergency situations.
Also speaking, Dr Ibrahim Bichi, State Clinical Coordinator AHF Nasarawa explained that menstruation was a normal physiological process that occurred in adolescent girls and young women; however had challenges of stigmatisation.
“Our school girls especially those in school and out of school need to be educated on menstruation, because there is a lot of stigma attached to it.
“They need to know that menstruation is a normal part of the reproductive stage of a woman, however the girls need to understand, the boys and their parents, in order to reduce stigma.
“knowledge on menstrual hygiene is also important as it is one of the sources of urinary infection in young girls which usually comes from the toilet and lack of personal hygiene when menstruating,’ he said.
Also, the Chairman Keffi Local Government, Mr Muhammed Baba-Shehu represented by the Secretary Keffi LG Mr Muhammed Adamu, applauded the foundation for choosing Keffi LG as one of its beneficiaries for the programme.
“It is a thing of joy to see that we are direct beneficiaries of this programme. AHF have done marvellously well in such a silent area that affects our women and girls.
“However, on the side of the local government, we intend to collaborate with the foundation and we are giving the assurance that we will do our best to contribute to the pad bank.
“We will also see how we can train our people to produce the sanitary pads to benefit our women and girls,’ he said.
Baba-Shehu further urged parents, teachers and guidance to support their children to end shame and discrimination when menstruating and ensure they maintained good hygiene.
Also speaking, Mrs Aisha Basha, Supervisory Counsellor Women Affairs Keffi LG, said the Ministry was saddled with the responsibility of educating young women and girls on menstrual health and management.
Basha said the sensitisation was aimed at breaking the silence on stigma and shame as it affected menstruation.
“This is important because we realise that most of our children are shy especially when they are growing into the reproductive stage.
“They do not want to discuss any issue concerning menstruation or any changes in their body to their parents, as they prefer to hide and deal with the situation themselves,’ she said.
She further said that the Ministry educated the children to have confidence and maintain personal hygiene during menstruation such as bathing regularly, changing their pads and disposing off properly.
Miss Gift Ibe, a participant and student of ECWA Government Junior Secondary School Keffi, expressed her appreciation to the organisations for the enlightenment programme.
“I learnt that when am seeing my period, I should keep my body clean, take my bath and change my pad regularly.
“I also learnt not to be ashamed when menstruating and to speak to my parents or teachers in school when I have problem or in pain,’ Ibe added.
Several schools were represented at the event, which includes, Government Secondary School Keffi, St Peters Government Secondary School, St Williams Government Secondary School among others.
Highlight of the event, includes distribution of free menstrual pads to students and display of cultural dance among other activities.
