Menstrual Hygiene Day in Ho, 2 groups support girls
The World Menstrual Hygiene Day was observed in some basic schools in Ho in the Volta Region last Friday, with the engagement of schoolgirls to help break the silence around menstruation.
The event took the form of discussions on menstrual hygiene management for girls in upper primary and junior high school (JHS) at the RC Girls’ and the Methodist Basic schools in the regional capital.
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The girls were taken through demonstrations on how to use various menstrual hygiene kits, such as menstrual cups, tampons, sanitary pads and tissues, after which they were presented with packs of the kits.
The activities were jointly organised by a women’s welfare group, The Ho Sisters, and the Accra-based Afrika Nyornu.
Greatest gift
In a presentation, the Founder of Afrika Nyornu, Dr Maloe Nartey, said menstruation was the greatest gift from God to mankind because it took a menstruating woman to become pregnant and produce another human being.
For that, she said, there was nothing shameful about it.
“It also means we must talk about it freely without any reservations,” she added.
She explained that symptoms such as vomiting, low mood, headache, diarrhoea and dysmenorrhoea associated with some girls during menstruation were no cause for fear and embarrassment.
“If such symptoms persist, even with appropriate doses of pain killers, just seek medical attention promptly,” she told the girls.
First menstrual flow
Touching on unprotected and premarital sex, Dr Nartey said sex prior to a girl’s first menstrual flow could also result in pregnancy.
"So do not rush into sex when you are in school," she counselled the girls.
Involve boys
The Founder and General Secretary of The Ho Sisters, Anita Sankumah, highlighted the need to involve boys in discussions about menstrual issues to enable them to understand certain behavioural trends among girls during their menstrual flow.
"This is important because they have sisters at home and female classmates in school," she explained.
Ms Sankumah gave an assurance that the group would continue to support menstrual hygiene management activities among girls and readily support those in need of help.
