The intervention was under the government’s Free Sanitary Pad Distribution Programme aimed at promoting gender equality and improving school attendance among girls.

The initiative would provide free sanitary pads to girls from Primary 5 through to the Senior High Schools (SHSs) nationwide.

Speaking at a symbolic presentation of the sanitary pads at the Jamiat Islamic Girls’ SHS in Wa, Mr Puozuing reiterated the government’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for females to participate actively in academic activities.

“President John Mahama is deliberately doing this policy to ensure that our sisters stay in school, have a healthier life and learn”, he stated.

The Minister indicated that though the government might not be able to meet the sanitary pad needs of the school girls throughout the year, they would ensure that whenever schools were in session, the girls would be supported to stay comfortable and learn.

Mr Puozuing told the students that the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council was working with the school’s management and relevant stakeholders to create a more conducive environment for academic activities to thrive.

Mr Razak Abdul-Korah, the Upper West Regional Director of Education, said a total of 220,000 packs of sanitary pads were expected to be delivered to the region for onward distribution to the female students.

He indicated, however, that the region had so far received 73,650 packs of sanitary pads and each female was expected to receive four packs, which could serve them for about five months.

Hajia Afisata Salia, the Headmistress of the Jamiat Islamic SHS, observed that access to sanitary pads had been a major challenge to some students and expressed hope that the intervention would relieve the girls of that challenge.

She said access to sanitary pads by school girls helped reduce absenteeism among girls, promoted good health and personal hygiene and created a conducive learning environment for girls.

Miss Mukarramah Hafiz, a student, thanked the government for the good thoughts about the menstrual hygiene needs of school girls.

She said it would also reduce the burden on parents in procuring those hygiene materials for their girl children as well as foster inclusion in teaching and learning in schools.