Measures Needed To Address Menstrual Hygiene

The Guidance and Counselling Practicum Sandwich Students of the University of Education, Winneba have called on the Government to put measures in place to manage menstrual hygiene and complications among girls.

They stated that positive menstrual hygiene management was important as it helped to prevent several health challenges, which may be associated with poor menstrual hygiene.

This was in a 21-page presentation by Mr Bernard Peprah, a student, at a Guidance Seminar the students organised on the topic: 'Menstrual Hygiene, Effect on Girls.'

The programme was to sensitise the public, especially girls from the A.M.E Zion (D) Basic School in Winneba, on menstrual hygiene.

Mr Peprah said hygienic practices such as hand washing and availability of sanitary products, cultural and societal norms, and the risk of infection are some of the factors that influenced the achievement of menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls.

He said the objective of most environmental health programmes was to reduce death caused by exposure to diseases adding that priority areas to look at should be water supply and sanitation, solid waste management and hygiene education.

'It is imperative to state that 28th May, each year, has been set aside as World Menstrual Hygiene Day to promote sanitation and hygiene related issues,' he said, and called on the Government to support the celebration of the Day.

Mr Peprah said some time should be allotted to the education of parents on menstrual hygiene during PTA meetings to enable them to better assist their girls during menstruation.

He said the UNESCO Report estimated that one in 10 girls in Sub-Saran Africa missed school during their menstrual cycle.

He said in Ghana a study conducted by Sustainable Development Focus, a non-governmental organisation, in 2016 revealed that 95 per cent of girls, especially in the rural areas, failed to attend school during their menstrual period.

Mr Peprah said a preliminary guidance interview conducted at the A.M.E. Zion D Basic School by the students on menstrual hygiene revealed similar findings.

GNA