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Kintampo Marks World Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Day

Kintampo Municipal Education Department in collaboration with the Municipal Health Service has organized this year’s international world Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Day under the theme; “Imagine a period friendly Ghana, it's time to end period poverty”.

Date Created : 5/30/2024 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Rufina Yuoni/ Ghanadistricts.com

This important programme was graced with very important stakeholders from all works of life such as chiefs and queen mother students, teachers and other people who came and donated to supporters this important programme at the Kintampo Municipal Assembly hall.

The Chairperson who was a young and influential lady who undertook all her educational ladder very successfully from the Municipality and has become a role model to most of the young girls in the municipality was the chairperson to this nationwide organized programme.

Madam Latifatu Alhassan, in her welcome address, highlighted the importance of collective efforts in creating a supportive environment for all girls and women.

She said, menstrual health is a crucial aspect of our lives as women and it is a natural and normal part of growing up, yet it often comes with challenges and misunderstandings.

Many girls face difficulties in managing their periods due to a lack of access to sanitary products, inadequate knowledge, and social taboos, and that these challenges can affect your health, education and overall well-being.

Mrs. Alhassan added that today we can build a period-friendly Ghana as the theme stated in Ghana where no girl has to miss school because of her period, where every girl feels confident and empowered to manage her menstrual health with dignity and that breaking the silence and stigma surrounding menstruation and having open and honest conversation about menstrual health and there is no shame about it.

Madam Latifatu stated “together, we can create a culture of understanding and support, teachers, parents, peers all have a role to play in by educating ourselves and others, and we can dismantle the myths and taboos that have persisted for too long”. She said,

She ended by saying that, let's encourage, support each other, friends, speak up about your needs (girls) and don’t hesitate to seek help when you need it. Let’s build a future where every girl can manage her menstrual health without fear, shame or barriers, madam concluded.

The Director for education Kintampo Municipality Mr. Sylvester Poku in his address touched on the importance of this programme organized and he pointed out the need for government building schools with toilet facilities and they should see the need of subsidizing sanitary pads for girls in school who can’t afford these sanitary pads.

“More education and workshops should be organized on menstrual hygiene. Parents, Nananom, NGOs and other philanthropy should all get involved to manage this problem.

Talks were given on topics such as “Rights of the Child” by the Municipal Human Right Director, “Access to water, Sanitation and Hygiene is a menstrual right” by GHS and “Negative effects of poor menstrual Health hygiene” by a professional midwife officer at one o the private health facility in the municipality.

Students displayed poetry recitals and dramas on menstrual hygiene, how to take care of themselves in order not to get pregnant, exhibiting on how to produce their own menstrual pads from clothes, sanitation and hygiene when menstruating, prevention of pregnancy as a school girl.

Sanitary Pads which were donated from individual supporters, stakeholder and philanthropy were distributed to students who were invited for the program which was under the supervision of the Municipal Girl Child Coordinator Madam Janet Saah and teachers.