The Lagos State Government, in partnership with Vcare Development Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, is set to distribute 20,000 sanitary pads to female students across secondary schools in the state.
Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, emphasised the significance of menstrual hygiene as a public health concern during a press briefing to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024. She highlighted that menstrual hygiene should be acknowledged as a fundamental right for women and adolescent girls worldwide, given its impact on their well-being.
Ogunyemi highlighted the choice of May 28 for Menstrual Hygiene Day, explaining that the date symbolises the average 28-day menstrual cycle, with the fifth month representing the typical five-day menstrual flow duration.
She further outlined that the Lagos state government and Vcare Foundation are leading a week-long series of events to commemorate World Menstrual Hygiene Day from May 29 to June 5. The initiative aims to engage at least 500,000 female students and distribute over 20,000 sanitary pads to schoolgirls.