A Non-Governmental Organisation, Value Female Network (VFN) has observed this year’s world Menstrual Hygiene Day by sensitising girls on how to maintain cleanliness during menstruation and distributing Menstrual pads to them.
Among beneficiaries of the kind gesture of VFN are the female persons living with disabilities and studying in Osogbo.
About a hundred of the physically challenged girls who received the free pads with gladness urged governments at all levels to assist girls at puberty in maintaining cleanliness and good health by making menstrual pads free.
They made this appeal during a sensitisation and awareness programme organised for them by VFN in their school in Osogbo.
Some of the Persons Living With Disabilities who spoke with sign languages, of which their interpreters explained said most of them could not afford menstrual pads but resort to using unsafe clothes for their monthly periods.
They shared stories of how their mates who were living in rural communities could not have access to pads, which were said to cost between N80-N100 per pair.
Monsurat Adesokan, a deaf and dumb student of School of Persons Living With Disabilities in Osogbo told our correspondent that when she started menstruating, she was using one of her old clothes.
She therefore begged government and other stakeholders in the country to come to the aids of indigent girls and ladies in getting safe menstrual pads.
Also speaking, female secondary students of Divine School in Osogbo called on government and international organisation to work together in ensuring that either menstrual pads are subsidised and make affordable PR better still, go for free saying “if condoms could be almost free, then menstrual pads, which are necessity, should be free.”
Meanwhile, the girls, numbering two hundred were educated and sensitised on how to attain menstrual hygiene.
Addressing them, a health expert, Miss Abigail Idehen, said they should always ensure that they change their menstrual pads often during mensuration and avoid self medications to treat cramps occasioned by the monthly circle.
For Miss Modupe Olobade, girls should dispose their menstrual pads properly after usage and avoid sugary edibles during mensuration in order to prevent painful menstrual pains.
The executive director of VFN, Costly Adribigbe charged government to ensure that Nigerian girls live a healthy life by providing menstrual pads for them.
Aderibigbe disabused the minds of the girls against the idea that having sex prevents a girl from experiencing Menstrual pains asking the participants not to be used by randy to quench their sexual urges.
Another member of VFN, Sayo Ajibade taught the participants how to make do with reusable Menstrual pads and urged the girls to desist from using rags or used clothes for their menstruation.
The NGO distributed menstrual pads to the Female Persons Living With Disabilities while noting that the gesture was to mark the World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
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