The Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALP), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has underscored the importance of menstrual hygiene among girl-children in basic schools and other organisations, noting that imbibing such health practice was essentially for mental health and enhanced physiological components in women.
Educating participants at a programme on menstrual hygiene and safety for girls in the state, tagged, “Together For a #PeriodFriendlyWorld; Empowering Girls Through Knowledge and Access,” to mark the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the non-governmental organisation (NGO), tasked them on effective management of their menstrual cycle.
Speaking at Methodist Secondary School (MSS), Ibiaku ishiet, in Uruan local government area on the topic; “My Body, My Pride: Embracing Menstrual Health with Confidence,” the chairman of ALPs, Pharm. Enobong Akpan, explained that activities during the outreach ranged from the supply of medicines to the dispensing of knowledge and care.
On a life-changing menstrual health outreach, Pharm. Akpan, said their target population was on the girl-child during which, several girls were trained on personal hygiene during menstruation periods, while about 1,000 received free sanitary products and hygiene kits.
“As pharmacists, we don’t only dispense medicines, we dispense knowledge and care. This is why we are here today to tell you about menses because as a girl-child, you don’t have to be ashamed that you are menstruating, rather you should be very proud that you have a period which a boy-child doesn’t have.
“When you have this knowledge, you know that you are wonderfully and specially made by God. You don’t have to be shy or stay out of school because you are menstruating. You are the girl-child God created you to be,” she noted.
The ALP secretary, Pharm. Patience Okokon, stressed the importance of the exercise, saying its impacts on girl-children far outweigh the cash investment in the scheme.
The chairman of Education and School Projects Committee (ESPC) of the association, Pharm. Okechi Nzedibe, who spoke further on the exercise, explained that it was aimed at giving basic information to the girls at an early age to shape their decision-making in the future when they become women.
The vice principal (Administration) of the school, Mrs Cornelia Akpan, thanked the association for the gesture, noting that much had been impacted on the students through the training.
Responding on behalf of the benefiting girls, Miss Michelle Samuel Enubiak, prayed God to bless group for “coming to teach us a lot about what we never knew on menstrual hygiene and donation of gift items,” saying it would go a long way to helping them to improve on their behaviours and care during menses.
The association had earlier visited the Women In Total GIRL Development (WIT-GIRL), an NGO in Uyo, where a similar gesture was demonstrated.
