By Obiabin Onukwugha
Maintaining hygiene during menstrual cycle is very important among women, especially young girls. Menstruation comes with challenges such as discomfort, nursea, pelvic pains and even fever for some.
Studies show that inability to maintain personal hygiene during menstruation has led to low self esteem and loss of classes among secondary school girls.
Besides hygiene, menstruation comes with financial burden, especially for low income earners and local community dwellers. A 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) of the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that approximately 63 percent of Nigerians, or 133 million people, are considered multidimensionally poor.
Also, a World Bank report in 2024 stated that over 56 percent of Nigerians are living below poverty line.
A significant number of young girls miss school during menstruation, with studies indicating that 27.5 percent to 65 percent of girls in some regions observing school absenteeism due to their periods.
A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report estimates that one in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their menstrual cycle. This equals as much as 20 percent of a given school year, according to the report.
Recently, some non-governmental organizations in Nigeria have been actively involved in distributing and promoting reusable sanitary pads as a means to addressing period poverty, improving menstrual hygiene and reducing the environment.
These organizations recognize the financial burden that disposable pads can place on low-income individuals and families, and, therefore, advocate for the use of reusable options.
Organizations such as the Sanitary Pad Media Campaign, Sanitary Aid Initiative, and Padup Creations are involved in distributing reusable pads and providing training on their proper use in Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country.
Also, Organisations like One Voice Initiative for Women and Children Emancipation (OVIWCE) and Reaching Minds Foundation, amongst others, have distributed reusable pads and trained individuals on their use.
Checks revealed that reusable pads, often made of cloth, offer an eco-friendly and potentially cost-effective alternative to disposable sanitary pads. They are designed to be washed and used multiple times, typically for several years, reducing both waste and monthly expenses.
They are typically made with a soft outer layer, an absorbent core, and a waterproof layer to prevent leaks.
Reusable sanitary pads, while being eco-friendly, can be less convenient than disposable options due to the need for washing and drying after each use. They may also require a larger initial investment. They can be bulkier, and also potentially more prone to staining.
There are also fears of infertility, vaginal infections and diseases, and other side effects for young girls adopting reusable pads.
Though the campaign is not yet popular in Rivers State, those who spoke to NatureNews correspondent in Port Harcourt, believe the cost of infertility and infection outweighs that of sanitary pads.
Ijeoma Acholonu, Ph.D, noted that when products are introduced into the market, the owners only promote the advantages, leaving out the side effects.
“I can never reuse a pad no matter how it’s presented. What about the side effects? These things have side effects but they will never tell us. It’s not even hygienic in the first place. There will also be disposal issues which will not still solve the waste pollution problem they are claiming to solve,” she maintained.
Mrs. Ifenyinwa Peter, rejected the idea. She said: “I will never use reusable pads and neither will I let any of my daughters use them. It’s going to be a source of infection that could lead to childlessness among young girls.”
She recalled her ordeal: “I am a mother today by providence. I grew up with my grandmother. My first menstruation I didn’t know what to do, I woke up in the morning and saw blood all over my body. I started crying and shouting then my grand uncle’s wife gave me a piece of cloth to use. After sometime I started losing weight and the villagers started mocking me that I’m pregnant, even when I was still a virgin.
“One day I took my uncle’s money and came to Port Harcourt in search of my mother. When I got to Port Harcourt my mother took me to the clinic and we were told it’s infection and it has eaten deep into my system. I was treated but then I didn’t know the infections were still there.
“When I got married, several years past I didn’t get pregnant. Luckily my husband’s uncle is a gynaecologist and runs a big pharmacy here in Port Harcourt. He was the one who ran several tests on me and found out I still had infections. He treated me and the treatment lasted long before I was able to get pregnant.
“I know what I went through. I can’t imagine any of my daughters going through same stress and risk. Moreover, if not well handled, these pads can lead to body odour among young girls,” she stated.
Madam Blessing on her part, observed that though and menstruation comes with its own financial burden, planning it into monthly expenses is better than reusing pads.
“I can’t imagine reusing pads because it’s sure way to infections. The idea is irritating to say the least.
“As a woman, you will agree with me that menses comes with some blood clot. If the pad absorbs such blood, there will surely be some residue even when washed. You can also agree with me that if you wear a pad for a long time without changing it, you will feel itches.
“Moreover, an adolescent may not be able to wash her pads well and before you know it she will begin to have infection problems.”
She pointed out that lack of adequate sun during rainy season will also expose reusable pads to infections no matter how well handled.
She said: “For instance, those who live in public compounds seldom spread their pants outside. Again right now we are in the rainy season, this makes it difficult for enough sun to heat even the pants we spread outside. This is the same thing for reusable pads, which with time can lead to infection among young girls and ladies.
“If you observe those who use napkins for their children you will notice that even when they wash the napkins the stain of the faeces are still noticed. This is the same case for these reusable pads and because it’s blood, it’s dangerous to our health.”
However, Mrs. Ngozi Emmanuel said she will embrace it for herself and her daughter if she (the daughter) will be willing to use it.
“I grew up in the village. When I started menstruating my mother gave me some old clothes to use as pads. Initially it used to smell after wash because I didn’t know how to wash it well, until my mother noticed it and taught me to use hot water. That was how the odour stopped.
“I believe if such is applied to reusable pads it will be safe for us. You know, not everyone is able to afford pads for their daughters with the economic situation we are in right now. I have just one daughter, there are those who have two, three or more daughters and I believe reusable pads will save them a lot of financial stress,” she observed.
A medical doctor and fertility expert in Port Harcourt, Dr. Festus Ossai, kicked against reusable pads, expressing concern about the safety on female vaginal health.
He said: “I believe before such products are produced, it would have passed through a series of tests to ensure its safety. But for me I would go for the disposable pads.
“We are in a country where anything goes. Before distributing such pads they should ensure that it passes through a series of tests to ensure that the ones being brought into the country are safe for use.”
Ossai posited that organisations campaigning and distributing reusable pads should rather subsidize the costs of pads. He said subsidizing the cost of pads would make it affordable for low income families and young girls, rather than exposing our young girls to hygiene issues.
“I would rather prefer that these organizations subsidize the cost of pads. There are pads that cost N1,000 in our markets. These ones have been tested and approved. If these pads are subsidized to N200 I think it would be more affordable. So the money being used to buy and distribute these reusable pads can be used to subsidize the prices of pads,” he opined.
The fertility expert emphasised that using pads for a long time can lead to vaginal discharge, itching and other vaginal infections. He also stated the hygiene of women and young girls cannot be guaranteed in reusable pads.
Ossai, who is the proprietor of Exploit Hospital in Port Harcourt, stated that as someone who handles fertility cases among couples, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more linked to infertility than vaginal infections.
He, however, added that reusable pads can cause infertility if infections from the material used to produce these pads used overtime lead to blocked tubes in users.
