By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Nigerian Navy has harped on the importance of girl-child menstrual and personal hygiene with the distribution of sanitary kits and sensitisation of secondary school girls in Rivers State.
This comes as the Navy Outpost, Ikuru Town in Andoni local government area of the state held a one-day sensitisation programme tagged “Girl Child Menstrual Health and Personal Hygiene,” for girls of CSS Ikuru, on Wednesday.
The program, which was used to educate secondary school girls on how to maintain good hygiene during their menstrual flow, is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gesture of the Navy as part of its non-kinetic operations in line with the Operation Delta Safe Sanity in the Niger Delta region.
Delivering a Lecture on the topic, “Girl Child Menstrual Health and Personal Hygiene,” Navy Lieutenant Ifeyinwa Okiselu highlighted the importance of the programme, saying that the inability to maintain personal hygiene during menstruation has led to low self esteem and loss of classes among secondary school girls.
Okiselu said the aim of the lecture is to sensitise the pupils of CSS Ikuru on menstrual health and personal hygiene.
She pointed out that challenges faced by girls during menstrual flow included; non-access to menstrual products, stigma and shame, lack of facilities, and health risks.
According to Okiselu, many young girls, the onset of menstruation can be confusing and some times frightening due to lack of prior knowledge or misconceptions. Proper education about menstruation is essential to alleviate fears and ensure that girls understand this normal physiological process.
“By prioritizing menstrual health education, we can ensure that individuals have knowledge and confidence to navigate their reproductive health with dignity and confidence. Schools, parents and healthcare providers play pivotal roles in educating girls about menstruation, its biological purpose and how to manage it hygienically,” she stated.
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Speaking with journalists shortly after the programme, the Commanding Officer Navy Out-post, Ikuru town, Navy Captain Murtala Tafida Suleiman, emphasised the importance of the program on the reproductive health of the students, saying the topic was chosen because a lot of women go through reproductive challenges as a result of lack of menstrual education.
Suleiman said: “This subject is very important because it deals with the reproductive system. The more you keep your hygiene properly maintained will given you the confidence you need as a woman to stand in front of your children as a mother, and also the confidence to mix up with the society. So don’t take this subject as a simple one. It is an issue which a lot of male don’t understand but only women understand.”
He said the topic was carefully chosen to address the challenges most women face during their reproductive stages in life.
“Self-confidence is built from knowledge. I hope the subject treated today will give our young children that are yet to reach maturity the confidence to know that when they reach that bridge they can cross it and know that it is nature, it’s not punishment,” he said.
In their separate speeches, the Principal of CSS Ikuru, Mr. Anderson Awajiogbana and the Principal CSS Ikuru (UBE), Mr. Athanisius Solomon, respectively, thanked the Navy for carry out the programme, noting that it is the first of its kind.
One of the students, Louinah Joseph, expressed joy and thanked the Navy for the knowledge impacted on the students. Joseph, who is a JSS 3 student, said the knowledge gained will help her maintain hygiene when she comes of age.
She said: “The program has impacted so much in my life. I haven’t heard any organisation or anybody or government come to our school to enlighten us on such thing that is done here today. lt has added much to me to be aware of what I’m going to see in the future.”
Highpoint of the program was the practical aspects of how to use and dispose sanitary pads during menstrual flow by a youth corper serving in the school, Ozarigbo Chiamaka and the distribution of sanitary kits such as pads, detergent and soaps for the girls.
The students were also taught ways they can maintain proper hygiene during menstrual flow such as regular change of pads and bathing.
