Menstruation: Poor Guidance Contributes To Teenage Mismanagement-Report

Lack of adequate guidance has been identified as the major cause of mismanagement of menstrual periods by the beginners. ‎

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This is the report of findings of the National Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management conducted in three geo-political zones of the country; Katsina State-North West, Anambra State-South East and Osun State-South West.‎

At a media engagement on menstrual hygiene management in basic schools in Nigeria held in Osun State, Dr Femi Aluko who is part of the research team disclosed that lack of adequate guidance, facilities and materials for girls lead to mismanagement of their menstruation in school.‎

According to Dr Aluko, “girls capacity to manage their periods is affected by lack of access to affordable hygiene sanitary materials, disposal options for used materials, adequate water supply, clean toilets, washing facilities and access to changing rooms.‎

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“According to United Nations Children Emergency Fund UNICEF in 2011, ‘Most of the toilets/ latrines observed were dirty with broken doors and poor ventilation. The ratio of latrine compartment to students was 1:297 for girls and 1:1216 for boys compared with global recommended latrine to student ratio of 1:25 and 1:50 for girls and boys respectively’

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“The overall average ratio of toilets/latrine in the urban schools for girls was 1:214 and for boys 1:374 while the ratio was 1:168 and 1:272 for girls and boys respectively in rural schools,\’ he added.

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The Researcher said studies showed that none of the schools assessed met up with World Health Organisation\’s standard of pupil to toilet ratio.

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He lamented over what he described as ‘culture silence and shameful act’ regarding issues of sexuality and menstruation, which according to him attributed to cultural restrictions and as well preventing sufficient information from reaching girls and women.‎

Dr Aluko explained that the major challenge is that, teachers, especially those in co-educational schools were uncomfortable to teach menstruation and menstrual hygiene in a situation where male students are also in the classroom.

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He opined that difficulties encountered by girls during menstruation like fear, confusion, anxiety, misconceptions, cramps, nausea, dizziness, general discomfort, headache, vomiting loss of appetite, waist among others will soon become a thing of the past if girls are adequately enlightened from the start of their teenage life.‎

Speaking at the occasion , senior special assistant to Mr Govenor on Ruwesa, Honourable Adesegun Olanibi, while delivering his welcoming address said  that “The human body is made of various parts and the reproductive parts are of importance in recreation.

However discussing male and female reproductive system is a sensitive issue that must be approached with care.”

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However he said the governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has  restoration of functional education in the state in line with the six points integral action point of his administration. This has been demonstrated by Mr. Governor through construction of multi million naira state of the art school infra-structure projects in all the nooks and cranny of the state.