By Mavis Quansah
Tema, June 02, GNA — The Tema Missionary Technical Institute has been adjudged the winner of a menstrual hygiene art competition among senior high schools in the Tema Central Constituency.
Participants from the school gained 84 points to emerge winners over Chemu SHS and Tema Presbyterian SHS.
The Tema General Hospital’s (TGH) Adolescent Health Unit organised the competition to discuss menstrual hygiene issues among SHS pupils.
Participants were tasked with creating and explaining artworks depicting healthy menstrual hygiene practices.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mrs. Nana Egyiriba Idun Acquah, the Departmental Head, TGH Adolescent Health Unit, commended the students for their remarkable display of artwork, knowledge, teamwork, and presentation skills.
Mrs. Acquah said her outfit annually celebrates Menstrual Hygiene Month in various schools with health professionals, educating the students, adding that they decided to come up with a student-led initiative to see if they understood the education they have been given on menstrual hygiene.
She added that menstrual hygiene is an important topic that needs to be tackled with all levels of seriousness to ensure the health and safety of young girls.
Speaking to the theme for this year’s menstrual health awareness, “Together for a Period Friendly World,” she urged all institutions to support young girls with the resources they need for their menstrual cycle.
She also entreated all schools to include boys in menstrual hygiene education to help reduce stigma on campuses.
She said: “When boys are educated on such issues, it will help them understand that menstruation is just a normal cycle that prepares the young girls for adulthood, so they need to support them during this time and not shun them or make them feel like they’re not part of them.”
Mrs. Acquah added that when girls are going through this cycle, they face a lot of emotional stress and anxiety and therefore pleaded with campus nurses to offer help to the young girls to prepare them mentally for their cycle.
She urged them to be careful about their choice of words to the students, especially when they come to them for advice.
She commended all the participants for the knowledge shared and encouraged them to pass it on to their mates who were not able to attend the programme.
A box of sanitary pads was awarded to the winners as their prize for the competition.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/Benjamin Mensah