By: Washington Tumay Watson –onewash9@gmail.com
MONROVIA-Liberia joined the world in celebrating world Menstrual Hygiene Day at the Ministry of Health located in Congo.
Water Aid Liberia, Public Health Initiative of Liberia (PHIL) the Community Healthcare, the Ministries of Health, Education, Youth and Sports among others graced the occasion.
During the event on Friday, May 27, 20 22 , Water Aid Liberia Country Director Chuchu Selma officially launched the National Campaign on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management.
Speaking during at the program, Mr. Selma said, Menstruation has to be accepted by men and boys, stressing that they need to fully support women in that strive.
“Menstrual Health, Menstrual Hygiene or menstruation has to be acceptable, or accepted by our men and we have to support the females. Secondly, we have to fright period poverty, “he indicated.
According to him, there will be no more period poverty, and he wants men to work collectively with the women.
The WaterAid Boss told the gathering that menstruation is no more a taboo, highlighting that it is a normal function of a woman’s body.
“If you want a child, a healthy family, if you want normalcy in your home, and in the health of your wife or your female colleague , you should support it, “he noted.
Selma further indicated that the government needs to make sanitary pads affordable by removing taxes from all sanitary pads products.
He urged all leaders across Liberia and partners to support the National Campaign on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management which is intended to break the taboos and silence around menstruation.
Selma said it vital for all leaders to formulate strategies to address menstrual hygiene, sexual and reproductive health for all women and girls in Liberia.
He told the gathering that WaterAid Liberia is supporting PHIL in Grand Cape County, in providing education on menstrual hygiene education.
During the event, Assistant Health Minister for Curative Service and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gorbee Logan said the lack of information on menstruation can lead to unhealthy practices that can create misconception or negative attitude.
“A Situation that could lead to shaming people and could even lead to gender based violence”, Dr. Logan said.
The Assistant Health Minister for Curative Service and Deputy Chief Medical Officer said at any giving day more than three hundred million women are menstruating around the world.
According to him, an estimated five hundred minion people lack access to menstruation problem and adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management.
“To effectively manage their menstruation girls and women require access to WASH Facilities and should be affordable , appropriate , menstrual hygiene materials should be may available ,information on good practices and the environment should also be supportive so as to avoid embarrassment”, Dr. Logan narrated.
He further said men and boys have a major role to play in Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, emphasizing that they need the rightful information regarding Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management.
According to him, with the appropriate information given to the men and boys, they will be in the position to aid women and girls at all times.
Also, the Project Coordinator of Public Health Initiative of Liberia, Zowah Nenyeah said, WaterAid Liberia with funding from global affairs Canada, is implementing Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management project in partnership with Public Health Initiative of Liberia, the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Health and Education, as key partners in two districts with in Grand Cape Mount County.
According to her, the project is intended to address Menstrual Health and Hygiene for women and adolescent girls on the reproductive health rights in Grand Cape Mount County among others.
Another speaker, the Director of Family Health Program at the Ministry of Health, Jamama Brown said women need to be informed on how to manage their menstruation , stressing that it is vital for all women to know the facts that menstruation is a biological process.
She said it is the menstruation process that can allow family to plan on how to have their children emphasizing that if they do not want to have many children..
At the same time, the Chairperson and Executive Director of the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee extoled the organizers for creating such a vital education for the young people on Menstrual Health and Hygiene.
She further urged the Ministry of Heath, and its Partners to include person living with disabilities at all times.
Domah Pay-Bayee said such gathering will allow female living with disability to acquire significant information.
She also urged parents who have person living with disability to educate their girls at an early age about Menstrual Health and Hygiene and not to give them misinformation.
Domah Pay-Bayee said parents providing the rightful information and education to their girl’s children on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, they will be in the position to take care of themselves if they as parents, are not around.