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Environment

Benue LG declared 16th Open-Defecation-free LGA

 

 

Defecation

By Tosin Kolade

Abuja, Dec. 19, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has declared Gwer East Local Government Area in Benue, Open-Defecation-Free (ODF), having met the requirement slated in the ODF protocol for hygiene promotion.

Mr Emmanuel Awe, Director, Water Quality Supply and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, declared the area ODF on Thursday after it met the stipulated requirement.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that before attaining the ODF status, communities would have eliminated open defecation and imbibed total sanitation practices which include personal, environmental and domestic hygiene.

The communities would have also had 100 per cent toilet use and increased ownership and sustainability of hygiene and sanitation services.

Awe, represented by Mrs. Kogbara Ayaba, from the ministry, commended the people of Gwer East for the landmark achievement.

According to him, the achievement earns Benue another first, being the first to have a LG-wide ODF (Logo LGA), and now the first to have the second LGA as ODF in the North-Central Region of Nigeria.

“This has increased the total number of LGAs that are ODF to 16 in the Country. I urge you to continue with these accomplishments and aspire to become the first state to attain state – wide ODF status.

“The benefits of access to improved WASH, especially of living in an open defecation free environments, impacts on education, health, security and socioeconomic wellbeing of the people.”

While commending efforts of development partners in scaling up access to improved hygiene, he urged the members of the community to remain steadfast.

He said it was unfortunate that Nigeria found herself on the top of the ladder of countries with the highest number of people practicing open defecation, second behind India and the first in Africa.

“As a country that prides herself as the giant of Africa, this is certainly not a good image. With an estimated 47 million people indulging in the act, the practice of open defecation is a norm in many communities due to lack of sanitation facilities.

“Also, many public places either lack sanitation facilities or have facilities which are not accessible or fit for use.”

He noted that an assessment of the status of the sector in 2017 revealed that the sector was in a critical condition which needed more attention with a minimum of three times the investment required to achieve the SDGs for water and sanitation.

This assessment, he added, led to the development of the National Action Plan for the revitalisation of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, which was launched by the President on 8th November 2018, with the declaration of a State of Emergency in the Sector.

He noted that the Federal Executive Council, on 8th May, 2019 approved the carrying out of a Clean Nigeria – Use the Toilet Campaign to end open defecation in Nigeria by 2025.

“The Campaign was launched on the 19th of November, 2019 by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The Clean Nigeria Campaign is a national transformative initiative to mobilise the entire populace towards imbibing the culture of safe and sustainable sanitation practices towards the 2025 target date.

“It is important that households are mobilised to provide their sanitation facilities, and relevant government institutions and the private sector provide sanitation facilities in public places such as schools, health care centres, parks and markets, in order to realise total coverage and sustainable access for the populace.

“The Campaign is backed by an Executive Order 009, which was signed by Mr President on Wednesday, 20th November, 2019. The Federal Government recognises the fact that action to end open defecation in Nigeria will require the contribution and commitment of everyone.’’

While noting that the primary responsibility for provision of WASH services lies with the States and LGs, Awe reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to supporting sub-national level initiatives towards improving access to WASH services for the populace.

The director also commended United Purpose and the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Programme in Nigeria, for their leadership roles, having received funding from the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).

“The RUSHPIN Programme is truly becoming the model sanitation programme we originally intended it to be when we approached the Global Sanitation Fund in 2010 to support Nigeria in shaping the Sanitation sub-sector.”

Mr Nanpet Chuktu, Programme Manager, United Purpose Nigeria, in a remark, said that the people of Gwer East were able to end open defecation through a collective behaviour change process.

“As as a result of such practice, an estimated 227,700 people living in the LG now live in clean, healthy environments.

“This uptake of improved sanitation practice has impacted greatly on the lives of the people of Gwer East, especially on the lives of children under 5 years, who are the main victims of diseases resulting from poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

“The people of Gwer East have today gathered to celebrate their attainment of ODF status. This celebration is significant as it is following the declaration of a state of emergency on Water and Sanitation by the State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom  and the launch of the Clean Benue-Use the toilet Campaign which happened on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019.

“The declaration of the state of emergency and launch of the Clean Benue campaign shows that Benue State is committed to achieving SDG6 by 2025 in line with the National Plan to end Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025.

“Gwer East is the fourth LG under the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) Programme to attain ODF status, following Obanliku, Bekwarra (Cross River State) and Logo (Benue State).

“The Programme has, thus, proven to be a model to take sanitation to scale. With continued support from the Government of Benue State three additional LGs– Ado, Gboko and Gwer West – are in line to becoming ODF.”

The RUSHPIN programme is an initiative of the Government of Nigeria, implemented with funding from the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF)/Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).

United Purpose (UP), an International NGO headquartered in the UK, is the Executing Agency of the RUSHPIN programme.

The programme uses the ‘Community-led Total Sanitation’ approach, empowering entire communities to collectively change their sanitation and hygiene behaviour, and ensuring that every community member uses a toilet and practices good hygiene. (NAN)

 

TAK/ETS

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Health

Hygiene: FCT residents want govt to conduct unscheduled visits to restaurants, eateries

Hygiene: FCT residents want govt to conduct unscheduled visits to restaurants, eateries

By Justina Auta
Visits
Abuja, Oct. 17, 2019 (NAN) Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to various government health agencies to conduct unscheduled visits to restaurants and eateries to monitor and ensure adequate hygienic conditions.
They made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
The residents called on the agencies saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and enforcing food hygiene laws to beam their searchlights on food vendors and operators.
Mr Emmanuel Nonso, a businessman, advised community health officials to also beam their searchlights on restaurant operators to ensure proper and hygienic cooking environment.
“Government needs to embark on impromptu visits to well established hotels and restaurants in order to monitor the cooking environment to ensure safety and hygiene of the areas, they should not concentrate only on markets and shops to arrest or seize substandard items,” he said.
Ms Joy Abu, a former hotel staff, decried the unhealthy cooking environment of some hotels and popular eateries.
“Most of these eateries have very poor hygiene environment, but people do not know because customers are not allowed into the kitchen or cooking areas.
“It is only the government officials that can carry out impromptu visits to all the big restaurants and hotel kitchens to supervise and ensure that the cooking environments are clean,’’ she said.
Mr Femi Adegoke, a civil servant, said he had treated various types of diseases caused by food poisoning as a result of patronising eateries.
“My family is not based here in Abuja and I close late from work. So most times, I rely on food vendors to eat, which had made me fall ill severally and received treatment for food poisoning.’’
Mrs Gloria Joseph, a nurse, said unhealthy food and unhygienic environment could cause diseases and infections that could pose serious risk to the health of an individual.
“These could result to food poisoning, vomiting, stomach upset, constipation, irregularities in blood pressure due to the use of untreated salts, ingredients that could be harmful to our hearts and other complications.’’
She, therefore, advised Nigerians to patronise eateries and restaurants less, and ensure they cook themselves using highest quality ingredients and prepare it in a hygienic manner. (NAN)
JAD/NNO/MST
Edited by Nick Nicholas/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGOs partner to provide menstrual hygiene education for FCT girls

NGOs partner to provide menstrual hygiene education for FCT girls
By Ummul Idris
Menstruation
Abuja, May 30, 2019 (NAN) Mercy Corps, an NGO, says it is partnering Procter and Gamble to provide menstrual hygiene management education for girl- children in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ms Wemimo Onikan, the Communication Officer, Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) II, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
She said this is coming as the world commemorates Menstrual Hygiene Day.
She stated that globally, 2.3 billion people lacked basic sanitation services, adding that in developing countries, the situation is more challenging.
She noted that Nigeria as a developing country was struggling to provide adequate sanitation services that would benefit girls in all schools, but nothing had significantly contributed to girls missing out of school.
Onikan who said that education was a right, stated that girls had the right to attend school and engage in their education without interference, irrespective of their menstruation.
According to her, the inability of in-school girls to manage menstruation properly often results in discomforts, poor self-esteem and absenteeism from school.
She stated that this often made it difficult for them to maximally participate in academics and complete a cycle of learning.
“Menstruation is a normal biological process and should not negatively affect the social wellbeing of girls.
“In the FCT, Procter and Gamble’s always Keeping Girls In School (AKGIS) project, implemented by Mercy Corps Nigeria as a complementary intervention to the DFID funded Educating Nigerian Girls In New Enterprises (ENGINE) II programme.
“This is reaching over 2,000 girls and secondary school teachers in the territory,’’ the spokesperson said.
She stated that the project provided training to adolescent girls, boys and teachers on Menstrual Health Management (MHM) in schools, provision of psychosocial support, counselling services and life skills.
According to her, over 73,440 sanitary pads have been provided as emergency sanitary pads for adolescent girls in 29 secondary schools in the FCT.
“With teachers and principals trained to build MHM into their various school systems, increasing awareness on the proper management of menstruation in schools,’’ she added.
She said that it also addressed myths and creating a conducive environment for girls to stay in school during their periods. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

2019 World Hand Hygiene Day: National Hospital preaches hand hygiene

2019 World Hand Hygiene Day: National Hospital preaches hand hygiene

By Talatu Maiwada
Hygiene
Abuja, May 6, 2019 (NAN) As the world commemorates 2019 World Hand Hygiene Day, the National Hospital Abuja (NHA) has called on Nigerians to always wash their hands properly to prevent infections.
Dr Kenneth Iregba, the Chairman, Infection Control and Prevention NHA, made the appeal during the commemoration of this year’s day in Abuja on Monday.
Iregba, who is the Head of Department of Clinical Biology, NHA, said the theme of the event is: “Clean Care for all, it’s in your hands’’.
He said the 2019 Hand Hygiene Day commemorated on May 5, was an annual global campaign.
He said the day states the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare and also create awareness in support of hand hygiene improvement globally.
“The hand is the most viable and common means of transmitting infection, there are billions of germs on our hands which cannot be seen with the eyes but if kept clean diseases can be averted.
“Studies have established that about one third of patients that die in hospitals, die from infection, it is therefore a huge burden that needs to be addressed.
“Doctors and nurses transmit to patients, patients transmit to doctors and nurses, and it can be acquired from the environment, but hand hygiene could help reduce the spread of such infections.
“The hand is a very valuable part of the body , people collect money, exchange gifts and also eat with their hands but the hand can also be destructive through the transmission of infection which could lead to death,’’ Iregba said.
The expert further called on Nigerians to ensure they keep their hands clean at all times by washing their hands with soap and water and using hand sanitisers.
He further called on health authorities at federal, state and local government to create school health programmes to disseminate information on personal, hand and environmental hygiene in order to break the cycle of transmitting infection.
Dr Nubwa Medugu, Consultant Pathologist, NHA, said it was important for patients, health practitioners and the public to acquire the knowledge of hand hygiene.
This, she said, would help reduce the transmission of infection from one person to another.
Medugu added that in performing hand hygiene, the finger nails should be properly washed, both hands should also be washed back to back while ensuring that every part of the hand was properly washed and free from harmful bacteria. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Group urge govts, partners to use media to raise hygiene behaviours

Group urge govts, partners to use media to raise hygiene behaviours

By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Hygiene
Bauchi, March 5, 2019 (NAN) The Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Media Network in Bauchi State has called on governments and development partners to make effective use of the media to raise awareness on hygiene behaviours, including menstrual hygiene management practices.

Mr David Ayodele, the State’s Chairman of the network, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Tuesday.

“There is need for governments and development partners to use the mass and social media to raise awareness on hygiene behaviours, including menstrual hygiene management practices.

“Also, to improve water quality by strengthening the water regulatory body, implementing water safety plans and enhancing community awareness on household-level water treatments,’’ he said.

Ayodele said social media tools could also be used by the public and partners to promote improved hygiene and how to prevent the spread of germs.

“The public health officials and the public should use social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp; the  messages may be used as written or customised to address local or other specific needs,” he said.

He said the initiative would improve provision of sanitation facilities by providing toilets and latrines that flush into a sewer or safe enclosure.

According to him, it will also promote good hygiene habits through education of proper hand washing with soap and water which can reduce diarrhoeal cases.

He said that good water management is fundamental to health to reduce risks of water-borne infectious diseases and accidental drowning during recreation.

Ayodele explained that the network is concerned about WASH facilities that are actually being used.

“Toilet construction alone will not reduce open defecation and therefore cannot be expected to impact child health and nutrition.

“We must determine whether people actually use toilets,” he said.

He, however, appealed to the partners to make effective use of the media during their interventions on water sanitation and hygiene in the communities.

“The network wants to ensure that safely managed drinking water services are achieved.

“ Safely managed drinking water service is defined as one located on premises, available when needed and free from contamination.

“Such that by 2030, we will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 6 target which includes universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

“As well as access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the WASH Media Network,  with the support of WaterAid Nigeria, has increased media coverage and reportage on WASH issues in the state.

It also ensures that journalists play their watchdog role in holding individuals and institutions involved in WASH activities transparent and accountable. (NAN)
MAK/VIV/MST
Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Environment

Council trains female inmates on re-usable sanitary pads

 

Training
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Jan. 31, 2019 (NAN) The Water Supply, Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) Nigeria, has begun training of female inmates on production of re-usable sanitary pads to promote menstrual hygiene and overall health in prisons.

 

Mr Theophilus Amazemba, the council’s Programme Officer on the sidelines of the National Task Group on Sanitation meeting in Abuja, said this became necessary following reports of sharing of menstrual pads in some prisons in the country.

 

He said that the group had carried out Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assessment and saw the need for immediate intervention in the areas of menstrual hygiene management.

He said that the attitude toward menstruation and inadequate hygiene facilities were having a detrimental impact on women’s health and wellbeing.

 

He said the group had been able to map out prisons to be visited namely such as Kuje, Suleja, Gboko and Keffi.

 

“Our recent assessment showed how these women are managing their menstrual health and our findings reveal that there have been cases of menstrual pad sharing and recycling.

 

“Our goal is to see that while they are in prisons, they acquire skills on production of reusable pads, use it within their vicinity for the overall benefit of promoting personal hygiene.”

 

Amazemba said that the intervention was being done in partnership with Procter and Gamble, PZ Cussons, the Society for Water and Sanitation among others.

 

He said that the prison warders would also be included in the training to educate them on the importance of releasing funds for hygiene promotion and construction of sanitation facilities.

 

“The findings from the assessment will be used to implement and promote sustainable solutions to issues of poor sanitation in the prisons.’’

 

Mr Emmanuel Awe, the Chairman, National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), who was represented by Emmanuel Eze, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Water Resources said the group was working with the first lady, Aisha Buhari to galvanise support from wives of state governors on ending open defecation practice.

 

Awe said that part of the campaign was to host a conference that would highlight the issues and chart the way forward for hygiene promotion and open defecation-free country by 2025.

 

NTGS is an umbrella body of ministries, international organisations and stakeholders working to promote sanitation and hygiene in the country.

 

Since inception, the group has been able to facilitate and validate open defecation communities.

 

It carries advocacy to state governments to increase budgetary allocation for the sanitation and hygiene sector. (NAN)
TAK/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf

Health

Poor menstrual hygiene, challenge to adolescent girls in C/River – Group

Poor menstrual hygiene, challenge to adolescent girls in C/River – Group
By Christian Njoku
Menstruation
Calabar, Dec. 12, 2018 (NAN) Brencare Foundation, an NGO, says poor menstrual hygiene is one of the leading challenges of adolescent girls in Cross River.
The Executive Director of Brencare Foundation, Ms Brenda Effiom, said this at a round table discussion on addressing poor menstrual hygiene in Cross River on Wednesday in Calabar.
She said the group needed to partner with other organisations, especially the media in spreading the information of menstrual hygiene to the public.
“We carried out a survey and discovered that poor menstrual hygiene was one of the leading problems facing adolescent girls in Cross River.
“So, we are trying to educate the public, provide disposable pads for girls and train people on the production and use of reusable pads because of the economic realities of many of these girls,” Effiom said.
The executive director added that there was also the problem of lack of toilet facilities in schools where girls could change their pads during school hours.
“We visited a school in Biase Local Government Area that had no toilet because it was a taboo to build toilets in the area, so the girls went into the bushes to change whatever they used during menstruation and were sometimes molested in the bushes by Corp members serving in the school,” she said.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, said our girls should be educated about sex and menstrual hygiene at the primary school level to catch them young.
Asibong, who was represented by Dr Comfort Ekanem, said though sex education was actually in our school curriculum, we have not been emphasising on it enough.
She said menstrual hygiene may look like a minute aspect in reproductive health but it was very important for every child because the beginning of the reproductive health for girls is the menstrual circle.
“Due to the economic situation of many of these girls, many of them cannot afford disposable pads; it would be difficult to totally eradicate using other alternatives.
“I think what we should emphasise here is no matter what you use during menstruation, observe high level of hygiene but most preferably use pad if you can afford it,” she said.
In her contribution, a trustee of Voice of Children Foundation, Dr Oluranti Ekpo, noted that it was important to educate the young ones but it was also important to find out what information they have to give which would help us to help them.
She urged organisations involved in humanitarian services to know the myths and taboos of the communities they want to go into as these taboos vary from community to community, be it rural or urban.
Some of the participants who attended the forum noted that some girls stayed away from school during menstruation in Cross River due to ignorance, poor toilet facilities and low self esteem, among others. (NAN)
CBN/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Nurse advises teachers, parents to inculcate personal hygiene habit in children

Nurse advises teachers, parents to inculcate personal hygiene habit in children
By Maureen Ojinaka
Hygiene
Enugu, Nov. 1, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Ruth Onyia, a retired Senior Nurse, has urged parents and teachers to inculcate personal hygiene habit in their children for healthy living.
Onyia, formally with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday.
She noted that lack of awareness on personal hygiene could lead to contamination of various diseases in human beings.
She explained that diarrhoea, dental and skin diseases, worm infestations are most commonly associated with poor personal hygiene, adding that one of the major problems faced by school children are infections.
The medical officer pointed out that infection and malnutrition form a vicious circle and retard children’s physical development as well as their academic performances.
“Repeated attacks of infections often compound the existing poor health of children, compromising children’s attendance and performance at school.
“However, majority of the childhood illnesses are preventable by promotion of hygienic practices among school children through proper health education by their parents and teachers,” she said.
She added that the origins of many illnesses of adulthood have their roots in the health behaviours of childhood and adolescents. (NAN)
OJI/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Environment

Women leaders urge FCTA to scale up sanitation in markets, public places

Women leaders urge FCTA to scale up sanitation in markets, public places

Sanitation

By Tosin Kolade

Abuja, Oct. 31, 2018(NAN) A cross section of Market women on Wednesday called on the FCT Administration to increase efforts towards sanitising the markets and public places to forestall possible outbreak of preventable diseases.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the hygiene situation in markets in the FCT and its environs was worrisome and needed immediate interventions.

Mrs Zainab Salhijo, Utako Market Women Leader, noted that the market needed interventions in areas of regular waste collection, drainage cleaning, adding that it was a matter for regret that filth was evident in the market.

According to her, the slaughter point for poultry was a matter for concern, saying that the smell usually permeates to customers and sellers in the market.

“At this market, we have many challenges, part of it is the smell that comes from the point where they de-skin the chicken, it is worrisome that the environment was a serious concern.

“We have situations whereby those who kill these chickens do not practice hygiene promotion at all, the hygiene issue is a great concern, what is more worrisome is the way in which they use same water to clean about 200 chicken.

“We are appealing to the FCT administration to do more to promote hygiene in these markets, this would go a long way to promote better living.’’

Salhijo also urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of washing their poultry products, meats, among others with salt before cooking, to make it wholesome and fit for consumption.

Mrs Rose Okeke, Garki market Women Leader, noted that generally, unplanned and overcrowded markets were experiencing sanitation problems such as; environmental pollution, poor waste collection, leading to poor hygiene.

She said there was the need to introduce neighborhood markets in a decentralised manner as a way of resolving these issues, saying this would help urban renewal efforts and overall socio-economic development.

“Although, the Abuja Market Management Limited is trying in this market, we are only worried that with the population, the facilities are being overstretched, we have issues whereby traders now sell in the open spaces around their shops.

“These are some of the challenges being faced, another issue is that the construction of new shops are not affordable for the common man, how do you want a petty trader to afford eight to ten million to pay allocations for shops.

“We want government to do something about it, and also see how they can improve hygiene facilities around the market to meet the growing demands.’’

Okeke said the role of sanitation and hygiene in markets and other public places cannot be over-emphasised as it can help to halt the spread of diseases, calling for prioritisation of access to water and need for culture of hand washing at critical times.

Corroborating the need for sanitation scale-up, the Business Development leader, Safe Toilets Nigeria, Mr Michael Adegbe, said there was the need to involve private sectors in scaling up sanitation in the country.

He noted that access to proper sanitation and clean water was vital for the health and safety of growing populations in both rural and urban areas.

He said it was a matter for regret that Nigeria was still among the top three countries with its largest population defecating in the open.

Adegbe said the group was carrying out sanitation marketing to encourage private sectors and toilet business owners to invest in cost-effective toilets hardware to encourage people to construct and use their toilets.

According to a report by the World Bank Data and a 2017 WaterAid Report, over 122million Nigerians still lack access to basic sanitation facilities, ranking Nigeria third worst countries with low access to basic sanitation in rural and urban areas. (NAN)

TAK/YMU/AFA

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Felix Ajide

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Health

Expert harps on menstrual hygiene management for adolescent girls

Expert harps on menstrual hygiene management for adolescent girls
By Talatu Maiwada
Menstruation
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Christy Awunor, a State Nursing Coordinator with the AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF), an NGO, has advised adolescent girls to maintain high level of hygiene during their monthly menstruation periods.
Awunor gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
She said poor menstrual hygiene could result in stigma, ill health and infection.
The expert said that it was important for adolescent girls aged 10 to 19, to be knowledgeable, informed and confident in managing menstruation with safety and dignity while using safe hygienic materials.
She said adolescence stage was a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, in which they experience the first occurrence of menstruation also called menarche.
Awunor defined menstruation as a biological process in women and girls where each month blood and other materials discharge from the lining of the uterus.
She explained that menstruation occurs from the onset of puberty till menopause, except during pregnancy, hence the need to create more awareness on menstrual hygiene management among young adolescent girls.
“When menstruation begins, it is important for them to discuss it with a trusted female like their mother, older sister, aunt, grandmother or a female friend.
“They need not to be scared or ashamed when they see the blood stain but rather to feel proud as their body is developing into that of a young woman.
“Secondly, the need to place a clean pad, cloth, cotton or tissue paper inside their under wear, while they change it every two to six hours or more as the flow gets heavier.
“Thirdly, maintaining hygiene by washing their genitals every morning and evening with soap and clean water, pat dry before placing another absorbent material.
“Finally, the need to dispose off properly by wrapping it in a clean paper bag and putting it in a waste bin to be burnt later or wash and dry used cloth if reusable,’’ she added.
Awunor further advised young girls who experience menstrual cramp to place hot water rubber bottle on their stomach, keep the body active by exercising, take painkillers, eat well and keep the body hydrated.
She urged government at all levels to priorities the needs of women and girls by providing sanitary facilities, access to water and sanitation, as menstrual hygiene was an integral part of every woman’s live. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola