A BRIEF ON MENSTRUAL HYGIENE
Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is about making sure women and girls can privately, safely, and hygienically manage their monthly discharge (period) with confidence and dignity.
Due to this, I see menstrual hygiene as a necessity that needs a humanitarian response.
Women and girls need menstrual hygiene from day one of their monthly discharge throughout their period.
Considering its sensitive nature, a holistic approach is needed to address the three core components of MHM that are; Access to materials, private and safe facilities, and essential information.
Women and girls face several challenges which include but not limited to:
🩸 Lack of information on how to take care of themselves, how to use their pad, which pad type to use etc.
🩸Taboos, cultural norms, and misconceptions. In most Sub-Saharan African countries, there is a huge misconception about the stain of blood released during menstruation which needs to be addressed and Ghana is of no exemptions.
🩸Embarrassment and anxiety; Due to lack of Sanitary facilities in our schools (e.g. toilets) and how to handle it ( menstruation) brings about stigma and embarrassment. Fur to this, some girls of school-going age drop out.
🩸 Lack of Sanitary wares; Most of these pupils don’t have the necessary things to handle the discharge such as pads, cotton, tissues, etc. during menstruation.
Due to the above challenges, most of our girls in their school-going ages left schools and increase the number of school dropouts in our country, Ghana.
It is, therefore, my humble suggestion that, since periods don’t wait for pandemics, I recommend that the government practice the following to support our girls in schools;
🏷️ Periodic supply of Sanitary wares to schools for onward distribution to the vulnerable
🏷️ When building schools make provisions for safe and private facilities for our girls for handling their periods.
🏷️Make available resources including human resources to help them understand their plights and books on menstrual hygiene management.
✍🏾To conclude this piece, menstruation is a very personal thing but needs government intervention and these core actions(access to materials, private and safe facilities, and essential information) are the essential management tips which when approached holistically, we can achieve Menstrual Hygiene.
Thank you.
Kusedzi Emmanuel Kwesi Writes, CEO KEK-SERIES
