Nigeria’s menstrual health and hygiene poor — Expert

IN  Nigeria, only eight percent of schools have girls’ toilet compartment with provision for menstrual hygiene management, leaving a direct impact on attendance, reproductive health and learning outcomes in a girl-child.

Also, 74 percent of schools are without access to basic sanitation services, while 91.4 percent of schools in Oyo State do not have disposable mechanisms for menstrual hygiene waste.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Consultant, UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Dr Emmanuel Orebiyi, speaking at the celebration of the 2023 menstrual hygiene day organised by the Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), in collaboration with UNICEF Nigeria, Lagos Field Office, said the current status of hygiene and menstrual hygiene management in Nigeria generally is poor.

According to him, 3.4 percent of schools nationally have basic gender sensitive sanitation and hygiene services;  with provision of usable improved toilet/latrines with separate blocks for males and females, available always during school days and have facilities for hand washing and menstrual hygiene management.

Dr Orebiyi said menstrual health and hygiene are human rights issues, adding that girls and women during their menstrual cycle are faced with both physical and psychosocial challenges such as fear, teasing and stigma, embarrassment, abdominal cramps, headaches, dizziness, nausea and lack of support systems from community members, family and friends.

He said menstrual health and hygiene issues are human rights issues central to attainment of the Sustainable development goal (SDG6), adding that increased awareness about menstrual health and hygiene will lead to better reproductive health, greater self esteem and confidence as well as better academic performance.

Dr Orebiyi stated that it is important to break the silence around menstruation and create safe spaces for talking about menstruation as this has contributed to misinformation, stigma, fear and exclusion and women and girls not able to voice out on their menstrual health and hygiene needs so that it could be met.

“Having a period is a normal healthy thing to happen; it is a natural process for every girl, teenager or woman. It can take some time getting used to having periods and feeling confident about dealing with them. Periods are a sign that your body is working properly, they are a special part of being a female,” he said.

UNICEF’s Lagos field office, social and behaviour communication specialist, Mrs Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole,  said it is time Nigeria’s government make available menstrual products available to ensure that every girl child have access to it, irrespective of their economic status.

In a remark, Director of Administration and Supply at OYORUWASSA, Mr Popoola Olabode, said it is important to change the misconceptions on menstruation in the community and to promote menstrual health and hygiene in schools and the community for a healthier nation.

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