Help break myths around menstruation - Girls advised

The Founder of Gyabs Foundation, Elizabeth Konadu-Boakye, has advised girls in basic schools to help break the myth around menstruation. 

She said they could do that by refusing to be ashamed of their periods but rather face it with all dignity.

Ms Konadu-Boakye gave the advice at the McCarthy Hill Basic School as part of activities marking this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day last Friday.

Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at a global level.

The advice is on the back of the fact that menstruation, which is a natural thing, has been kept a secret with so many myths and taboos around it, making girls feel insecure about themselves during that time of the month.

"Menstruation is a normal fact of life and it should be seen as such.

It is what makes every woman complete and no girl should feel ashamed to talk about it and issues that surround it," Ms Konadu-Boakye stated.

Engagement

As part of the activities to commemorate the day, the foundation distributed over 200 sanitary pads to the girls with hand sanitiser and pocket tissue to help the girls to maintain good hygiene during their period.

The girls were also given education on some conditions that came with menstruation and how to use and dispose of sanitary pads.

Severe cramps

A Medical Doctor at the St Andrews Clinic, Dr Thy-will Delali Aboflah, also advised the girls to quickly report severe menstrual cramps and irregular periods.

He said suppressing those symptoms could cause more severe and serious conditions that could sometimes have implications for their fertility.

He further educated them on some of the symptoms of endometriosis and premenstrual dysphoric disorder and advised them to seek medical attention should they experience any of those symptoms.

The Headmaster of the school, Michael Agbai, thanked the leadership of the foundation for the initiative. 

Foundation

Gyabs foundation is an NGO that is spearheading menstrual health and hygiene project dubbed, “Menstrual Health Menstrual Hygiene (M2H2) project”.

The project is not just focusing on distributing sanitary pads, but educating girls on the need to maintain good menstrual hygiene and also creating awareness of some conditions attached to menstruation.