In celebration of the 2022 Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD), an international organisation, AIDS Health Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Education and health experts, has held a sensitisation workshop for students of the Kuje School of the Deaf in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Addressing participants Monday in the school, the AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, Dr Echey Ijezie, said that the Foundation provides menstrual hygiene education to Nigerians; in order to bridge the knowledge gap with regards to the ignorance and misconceptions associated with menstruation.
He said: “Menstruation is a necessity for women. It’s a monthly ritual. Majority of our young girls lack access to sanitary pads, which is necessary for optimal health, especially for girls in school. They have to go to school with confidence, which makes sanitary pads a necessity.
“Nigerians should join AHF in helping to create a new normal by working to #EndTheStigma on periods for women and girls of reproductive age, who menstruate. The ‘End the Stigma’ theme is particularly important because of the myths associated with menstruation.
“We are here with girls at the School for the Deaf, Kuje, to ensure inclusivity and as a way to enhance disability rights as we highlight the importance of menstrual health management education with a marginalized group and instigate effort that ensures girls with disability won’t be left behind.
‘’AHF Nigeria is committed to working with her partners and government as a sign of responsibility to strive and ensure that we make free sanitary pads available to young women and girls who can’t afford it. We acknowledge how the lack of access can increase the risks of HIV infection and how it disrupts their education, and to us this is unacceptable.”
Also speaking, Health Desk Officer, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Ekanem Gloria, who represented the minister, Dame Pauline Tallen, tasked the school management on providing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities for the students, which she said will help menstruating girls to stay healthy.
Highlight of the event was a brief drama acted by the deaf students through an interpreter on safe menstruation and maintaining menstrual hygiene.
