Menstruation: Expert charges women on good hygiene

The Team Lead of Gender Equality for Development (GED), Mrs Funmi Adekoya-Ojo,an NGO, has charged women and girls to maintain good hygiene during menstruation to prevent infections and diseases.

READ ALSO:NGOs advocate curriculum for menstrual hygiene in schools  

Adekoya-Ojo, also a Fellow of Dataphyte Mainstreaming Cohorts 2, gave the advice in an interview with the Newsmen on Friday in Osogbo.

She said good hygiene would go a long way in preventing women and girls from infections and diseases and any act of stigmatisation during menstruation.

Menstruation is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina.

Also called menstrual cycle, menstraution is a sign that pregnancy has not occurred, characterised by the rise and fall of hormones, triggered by falling progesterone levels.

The team lead, therefore, said, “it is violence to stigmatise or ostracise women and girls when they menstruate, as it is done by some culture and religion. It is part of God’s creation for women and girls to menstruate, so they should not be treated with hatred, but with love and care, especially for those who have cramps or pains during menstruation.”

According to her, the need for girls to use clean sanitary pads, change the sanitary pad between four to seven hours and also wear light clothes is
paramount.

She advised that women and girls need to take their bath often during menstruation to prevent infections that can affect their reproductive organs.

She urged schools and other organised institutions to provide clean toilets and water for use by female students and staff where necessary.

NAN/Wumi