Analyzing Menstrual Hygiene Management and Health in Ghana

This report addresses the critical health issue of inadequate menstrual hygiene management among women in Ghana, particularly focusing on the use of unsanitary materials like newspapers, rags, or mud, which leads to infections and health hazards. The report highlights that many adolescent girls in rural Ghana miss school during menstruation due to a lack of knowledge and access to sanitary pads. It estimates that approximately 11.5 million women in Ghana lack proper sanitation and hygiene management facilities. The report suggests interventions such as government investment in affordable sanitary pads, increased access to education, and collaborative efforts by NGOs and government organizations to educate women about the risks of unhygienic practices. It also emphasizes the need for free sanitary pad distribution to poor women and girls, coupled with education on safe usage and disposal. The report also touches upon the gender bias in taxation on sanitary products and the need for infrastructural planning that considers sexual health education. Ultimately, the report advocates for increased awareness, affordability, and accessibility of hygienic sanitary products to improve women's health and reduce absenteeism in schools.

Healthcare

Table of Contents
The health issue.....................................................................................................................................3
Population.............................................................................................................................................3
Intervening with this health issue..........................................................................................................3
Theories.................................................................................................................................................4
References.............................................................................................................................................5

The health issue
Many women who are poor use newspaper, rags or mud for managing their menstrual
periods. The use of these things is not effective because it leads to injuries or infections to
women. It is the right of women to manage their menstruation. Women using disposable pad
are seen to be suffering from non-sexually transmitted infections or urogenital infections
(Teutsch, 2014). The use of unclean clothes leads to many health hazards such as fungal
infections. Urinary tract infection is considered to be one of the most common infections
found in women and girls caused due to the unhygienic menstruation practices.
Population
In Ghana, many adolescent girls in rural areas during their menstruation starts do not go to
school. Girls and women are suffering from health issues due to the lack of knowledge and
availability of sanitary pads. It is being estimated that around 11.5 million women in Ghana
lack appropriate sanitation and hygiene management needed facilities (Scott, 2010). Lack of
awareness and financial resources have also created barriers to the availability of the sanitary
pads. Girls between the age of 10 to 18 year suffer mostly due to the lack of adequate
information about hygienic menstruation. Many people are also educated but they still do not
use hygienic products. Traditional beliefs have depicted that in villages people believe that an
individual is dirty during the period.
Intervening with this health issue
The government should invest money for ensuring the availability of sanitary pads at a
cheaper price for girls and women. The challenge of education of girls should also need to be
addressed significantly by increasing schools and teachers. The NGOs and other government
organizations should work together in order to provide information regarding the risks of
using unhygienic pads. The government should supply free pads to poor women and girls
(Suuk, 2018). It should also be educated that they should not use unclean sanitary pads,
wearing too long a pad, washing pads, unsafe disposal and not washing the hands. The
increase in awareness about health risks can assist girls and women to be hygienic. However,
the government should take the responsibility to supply pads with the development of
appropriate infrastructure.

Theories
The taxation on the sanitary products shows an infrastructure which is gender bias. In the
rural regions of Ghana, there is an absence of easy access to sanitary products. The lack of
basic hygienic products leads to wider health issues for adolescent girls. Many girls do not go
to school during their period. It is also being determined that there is also a problem in the
education system in Ghana (Worktheworld, 2018). Infrastructural planning has always been
done with no or little consideration for education on sexual health. Supplying cheaper
sanitary pads can decrease absenteeism by 50% in Ghana. The development of factories can
assist to decrease the prices of the pads. The use of hygienic sanitary pads is important and
need to be informed to the people of Ghana.

References
Scott, L. (2010). Sanitary Pads in Ghana. [online] Doublexeconomy.com. Available at:
http://www.doublexeconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/CASE-Sanitary-Pads-in-
Ghana.pdf [Accessed 17 Feb. 2019].
Suuk, M. (2018). Many poor girls in Ghana miss out school during their period. [online]
D+C. Available at: https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/many-poor-girls-ghana-miss-out-school-
during-their-period [Accessed 17 Feb. 2019].
Teutsch, B. (2014). How Sanitary Pads Can Help Women Improve Their Health and
Education. [online] The Atlantic. Available at:
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/sanitary-napkin-business/360297/
[Accessed 17 Feb. 2019].
Worktheworld (2018). Women's Health in the Developing World | Work the World. [online]
Worktheworld.co.uk. Available at: https://www.worktheworld.co.uk/blog/womens-health-
developing-world [Accessed 17 Feb. 2019].