By Anita Uzoagba
Parents in Ado Community of Nasarawa State have decried the rising cost of sanitary pads, saying it is making menstrual hygiene increasingly difficult for women and girls.
A cross-section of parents bared their minds in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ado, Nasarawa State.
Mrs Njideka Ezurike, a mother of two, said the increasing price of sanitary pads was making menstrual hygiene difficult for many adolescent girls, particularly those from low-income families.
She said the rising cost of sanitary pads could force some girls to use alternatives that may compromise their health and dignity.
She recalled the experience of a young domestic worker, who resorted to using rags during her menstrual period because her family could not afford sanitary pads.
“I asked her why she was using a rag during her period, and she told me that was what she could afford and what her parents could afford,” she said.
She expressed concern that if families struggled to provide menstrual products for their children, the situation could be worse for girls in rural communities and those without adequate financial support.
She said that repeated use of poorly maintained menstrual materials could pose hygiene concerns, while visible stains could also expose girls to embarrassment and affect their confidence.
Ezurike urged the government to take measures to make sanitary pads more affordable and accessible to adolescent girls.
She also called for regular government interventions especially in schools, saying public and private schools could be reached monthly with sanitary pads for students.
She said such interventions would help ensure that adolescent girls could manage their menstrual periods safely and with dignity, irrespective of their families’ financial circumstances.
Another mother, Mrs Vivian Osalenkhor, said the rising cost of sanitary pads had made budgeting necessary, particularly for families trying to meet other household needs.
“To me, since I’m working, I make a budget for it. Whatever you are doing with your salary, you need to make a budget for it,” she said.
She recalled that she grew up using pieces of cloth as menstrual absorbents because sanitary pads were not readily available or affordable at the time.
She said her mother educated her about menstruation and provided her with pieces of cloth, which she washed and dried for reuse.
She disclosed that the price of the sanitary pad brand she buys for her children had increased significantly.
“When I started buying it for them, it was N1,200, but now, it is almost N3,000. I’m not even kidding, N3,000,” she said.
Also, Ms Esther Alih, a security personnel, said she used Always sanitary pads, which she bought for N2,500 per pack, compared with N1,500 previously.
She, however, said she had never resorted to using pieces of cloth, rags or towels as alternatives to sanitary pads.
Mrs Gladys Ohiwere, a teacher, said menstruation could become a barrier to girls’ education and participation in social activities when they could not afford appropriate menstrual hygiene products.
According to her, the cost of menstrual products has added to the financial burden of households already struggling to provide food, medication and other necessities.
“Every month, when they think of buying food and drugs they will also be thinking of buying sanitary pads,” she said.
She called on government at all levels to provide free or subsidised sanitary pads to girls, particularly those in schools and from financially vulnerable households.
NAN recalls that the Nigerian government has been working on rolling out nationwide school “Pad Banks” as part of its first National Policy and Implementation Strategy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management.
While non-governmental organisations intermittently donate pads for schoolgirls, the Federal Government also champions menstrual dignity, with stronger push for Pad Banks and Period-Friendly Schools.
The initiative aims to provide free and reliable access to sanitary pads for adolescent schoolgirls to prevent period poverty and reduce school absenteeism.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Benson Ezugwu/Magdalene Ukuedojor