The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has distributed 5,000 boxes of sanitary pads to several schools, including Kumasi Girls, Zakafia Islamic Senior High School (SHS), and Asem Islamic, as part of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day (WMHD) celebration.
The Mayor of KMA, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, stated that this initiative aims to promote menstrual health and hygiene management among young girls in the metropolis.
According to him, this effort seeks to enhance menstrual hygiene management, raise awareness about menstrual health, and ensure that girls can manage their periods with dignity.
Mr. Ofori Agyeman elaborated on the assembly’s eagerness to improve school attendance and retention among girls.
He emphasised that with this support, the initiative will bolster dignity and confidence among girls and women, reduce health risks associated with poor menstrual hygiene management, and increase awareness and understanding of menstrual health and hygiene practices.
The KMA Mayor underscored the need for global efforts to promote menstrual hygiene management and support girls’ education and well-being.
Mr. Ofori Agyeman also urged parents and guardians to support their adolescent daughters during these critical stages of their lives.
He further called upon philanthropists, NGOs, institutions, and corporate bodies to assist schools in Ghana with sanitary pads on a monthly basis, rather than waiting for World Menstrual Hygiene Day to provide assistance.
“When they stern themselves, it’ll smell on their body and due to that, her self-confidence would be reduced, which would hinder her empowerment and learning potential for the future.
“This is the reason why KMA has taken this initiative to celebrate World Menstrual Cycle Day (WMCD), focusing on how our young ladies can maintain cleanliness.
“What we’re appealing to parents is that they should concentrate on ensuring their wards are clean, so that when the time comes for their menstrual cycle, it does not cause any harm to them. The children are the future of our nation,” he said.
During an interview with some students at Zakafia Islamic Senior High School, they expressed their gratitude to the assembly for the education provided on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health, which they find immensely beneficial at this stage of their lives.
