• 28 May, 2025
• FAITH MIMDOO KEGH
• No comment

Cross River, AHF Collaborate to Provide Sanitary Pads in Underserved Communities.

On May 28, 2025, the Cross River State Government partnered with the AIDS

Healthcare Foundation (AHF) to distribute sanitary pads to women and girls in underserved communities, as part of activities marking World Menstrual Hygiene Day in Calabar.

Speaking at the event, the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Edema Irom, highlighted the urgent need for menstrual hygiene support, especially in public schools. She emphasized that access to sanitary pads remains a significant challenge, along with the lack of clean water and proper toilet facilities in schools.

“Sometimes women come to the ministry asking for pads, and some young girls resort to unsafe means to get money just to buy them,” Irom said. She urged government agencies, civil society groups, and local communities to work together to make menstrual products more accessible.

The event included engagements with students from four secondary schools: West African Peoples’ Institute (WAPI), Government Secondary School Lagos Street, Henshaw Town Secondary School, and Government Secondary School Akim. Sanitary pads were distributed to students as part of the outreach.

This year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day theme is        Together for a Period-Friendly World,” aimed at breaking taboos and promoting access to menstrual health education and products.

AHF Advocacy Manager Steve Aborishade emphasized that menstrual health goes beyond hygiene, calling for supportive environments where menstruation is treated as a natural part of life. He highlighted the ongoing stigma, limited access to sanitary materials, and lack of basic facilities as core issues.

We want to end the harmful practice where girls resort to using unsafe materials that can lead to health complications,” he said.

Mrs. Gertrude Egbole, Principal of WAPI (represented by teacher Mrs. Ofem Okoi), expressed gratitude to AHF, noting the importance of menstrual health in the school’s education.

One of the students, Destiny Udoaka, a Senior Secondary 1 student from Henshaw Town Secondary School, thanked AHF for including boys in the conversation. “It helps them understand that menstruation is not something shameful but a normal experience for every woman,” she said.

FAITH MIMDOO KEGH

Manager – Oversees the daily operations, editorial planning, and strategic direction of the platform. A graduate with a solid academic foundation in media and communication, Faith brings a wealth of experience to the TokinPoint.

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