MEPs call for cheap sanitary napkins for girls

General News on Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-05-29

Members of Parliament called on the government to consider reducing the cost of sanitation to make it affordable, especially for girls and poor women.

They stated that the removal of import duties on health products and support for local innovations would provide greater affordability and help reduce current security and production problems.

Ms. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah, the second Deputy Minority Whip, declared in a statement to Parliament the call for cheap sanitary materials.

The declaration is intended to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Management Day this year, as Ghana joins the world in marking this event.

"Menstruation is a normal and healthy part of life for girls and women. About 26% of the world's population, seven million girls and women in Ghana have their period, "she said.

"For girls in Ghanaian schools, ages nine to 14, first menstruation can be a terrifying experience."

Ms. Ghansah said that two of Ghana's five public primary schools did not have toilets and that investments in water and sanitation infrastructure were largely limited.

She added that inadequate facilities affect the girls' experience in school and their ability to manage their menses with confidence.

The latest household survey conducted by the Statistical Service of Ghana found that up to one in five teenagers felt excluded from education, social activities and work during menstruation.

Ms. Ghansah also said that the consequences of the constrained environment could have a significant impact on the education, health and protection of girls.

She called on the authorities to rely on the Ghana Education Authority (GES) Minimum Guidelines for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the United States. schools, requiring that all toilets be separated and private and that safe premises be set up. their sanitary napkins and clean themselves.

She said that bad education should be integrated into educational programs to make access to information systematic and consistent, to allow all girls and boys to empower them to reach their full potential.

Ms. Ghansah called for the empowerment of girls and the community's commitment to the protection of adolescents.

"It is essential to support and expand community-based programs involving adolescent girls and boys, especially those out of school, caregivers and community leaders, on issues related to essential skills, development and protection of children. adolescents, the health and badual and reproductive rights of adolescents. "

Ms. Helen Adjoa Ntoso, MP for Krachi West, urged the Ministry of Education to endow the School Health Education Program (SHEP) so that it could go around the different schools in order to sensitize adolescents to badual health.

She reiterated her call for health materials to be made available to adolescent girls in different schools to help them maintain good hygiene.

In his contribution, Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, MP for Oforikrom, called on his colleagues to complement the efforts of the Ministry of Education to help provide sanitary napkins to schools in their various constituencies.

He added that as MPs could supply footballs and jerseys to their constituents, he did not see why they could not provide sanitary napkins to schools.

Ms. Dela Sowah, MP for Kpando, said that issues of menstrual hygiene should be well articulated and not become a taboo in society. She said that half of the girls who dropped out of school were for reasons of menstrual hygiene, while teenage girls who got dirty at school were ridiculed by their fellow boys.

She stressed the need to help young girls get out of the problem so that they can stay in school.

Ms. Cecilia Appiagyei, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, pointed out that the menstrual cycle of girls has changed due to many nutritional factors.

She added that parents had a crucial role to play in educating girls about menstrual hygiene.