AHF Nigeria Calls for Access and Dignity on Menstrual Health Day
By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja, May 22, 2026
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To mark Menstrual Health Day, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF Nigeria) will hold a commemorative event at Keffi, Nasarawa state on Monday 25th of May to emphasize the importance of reducing stigma around periods and promoting access to safe, clean facilities and free or affordable sanitary products for all who need them.
In a statement on Friday in Lokoja, Mr. Steve Aborisade, Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, stressed the need for critical steps to be taken in protecting overall health and reducing vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Menstrual Health Day is observed annually on May 28, but due to the national holiday falling on the 28th, we decided to commemorate the event earlier.
This year, AHF Nigeria and her partners in Nasarawa shall converge at the Victory Baptist School, Daddin – Kowa, Keffi and be joined by other students from Flobam British Secondary School, Government Secondary School and Government Junior Secondary School, all in Keffi.
Government partners that will be in attendance include officials from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
The Nasarawa State Focal Person on Gender Based Violence will also be present, as well as the Association of Positive Youths Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (APYIN), the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN).
Event shall see a menstrual health expert take participants through the salient issues in menstrual health management, particularly as it concerns access to menstrual health products and the stigma associated with menstruation in our society.
Participating students will also learn the basic steps to keeping healthy and well during their periods, while also making boys allies of menstrual health management.
At the same time, the 150 participants expected at the event shall receive 2 months supplies of sanitary towels each, as well as incentives to aid their menstrual experience.
“Across Africa, too many women and girls still lack access to basic menstrual products and safe facilities, forcing them to miss school, risk their health, or turn to unsafe coping strategies,” said Martin Matabishi, AHF Africa Bureau Chief.
“Menstrual health is not a luxury—it is a fundamental part of public health and HIV/STI prevention. Governments must remove taxes, invest in access, and break the silence around menstruation to protect health, dignity, and opportunity for all.”
“Globally, nearly 2 billion people menstruate, with 500 million experiencing period poverty.
“These challenges can lead to reliance on transactional relationships or relationships with significant age differences, reducing the ability to negotiate safer sex and raising the risk of HIV and other STIs.
“AHF applauds countries that have reduced or eliminated taxes on menstrual products and urges others to follow suit to ensure access for all who need them.” said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director (CPD).
In many communities, taboos prevent open discussion, limit access to accurate sexual and reproductive health information, and discourage people from seeking care. Addressing menstrual health must go hand in hand with efforts to normalize periods, expand access to essential services—including HIV prevention, testing, and treatment—and ensure that everyone can manage their health safely, with dignity, and without fear or discrimination.
AHF supports young women and girls through its Girls Act empowerment program. in Nigeria, AHF currently runs two Girls Act chapters, in Abuja and Markurdi, Benue state and this year, we shall be expanding to two extra states – Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa state.
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(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, MAY 22ND 2026)
