The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 74 per cent of schools in Oyo State exist without access to basic sanitation services.

Emmanuel Orebiyi, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Consultant in UNICEF’s Lagos office, disclosed this during a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Stakeholders’ Engagement in Ibadan.

The Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) organised the event with technical support from UNICEF to celebrate the 2023 Menstrual Hygiene Day in Oyo State.

In his presentation, Mr Orebiyi said 91.4 per cent of schools in Oyo State did not have disposable mechanisms for menstrual hygiene waste.

Mr Orebiyi, who sought the intervention of all stakeholders, including the government, said 0.4 per cent of schools in the state provided menstrual hygiene materials such as pad free.

The UNICEF consultant said only eight per cent of schools in Nigeria have girls’ toilets compartment with provisions for MHM.

“I, therefore, urge governments to invoke the ethical principles of beneficence and healthcare justice for the development of coordinated health policy by all levels of government,” he said.

Mr Orebiyi said such a coordinated health policy would support the development and implementation of effective MHM programmes.

Adegoke Ayodele, RUWASSA Director of Community Mobilisation and Hygiene Education, said the programme was to brainstorm and equip girls of menstrual age with the required knowledge.

Mr Ayodele said Nigerians should be discouraged from believing in wrong myths about menstruation, calling for the creation of awareness through the dissemination of appropriate information to the public.

Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, a UNICEF representative, and Olabode Popoola, a RUWASSA director, highlighted the importance of the stakeholders’ engagement.

Ms Akinola-Akinwole called for all stakeholders’ collective effort to ensure effective MHM.

(NAN)