WASH FOURM on Knowledge on Menstrual Hygiene Management and Health Impacts

With the slogan “No More Limits”, the 6^th Menstrual Hygiene (MH) Day was celebrated worldwide on May 28, 2018. Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated with a motive to raise awareness on challenges that women and girls face worldwide due to their menstruation and discover solutions to combat these challenges.

Paschim Paaila in collaboration with Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) and National Institute of Health and Environment (NIHE) organized 59^th Series of WASH FORUM entitled “Knowledge on Menstrual Hygiene Management and Health Impacts” on May 25, 2018 at ENPHO Hall. The main objective of May series forum was to share knowledge status of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and associated health impacts to identify areas of issues to improve MHM.

The program was commenced with introduction of Paschim Paaila, WASH FORUM, objectives of forum and with introduction of participants. The main objective of WASH Forum has always been to provide an opportunity for social interaction and knowledge sharing on different environmental and health issues in relation to WASH and disasters and to critically analyze the role of the youth in the aforementioned issues.

Mr. Gyan Maharjan, Social Activist and President of X-Pose Nepal, resided as Key Speaker for the program. Mr. Maharjan shared the experience of working as Male Activist in the sector of MHM and importance of male’s involvement in these issues to help women and girls to safely manage menstruation.

Ms. Karuna Bhattarai and Ms. Sunita Karki presented the research paper in the forum focusing on Menstrual Hygiene Management and associated health impacts. Ms. Bhattarai presented the paper entitled “Reproductive Health Problems and Health Seeking Behavior among Adolescent girls of Surkhet District in Western Nepal” and Ms. Karki shared the research paper entitled “Menstrual Hygiene Management: associated factors and implications on health of Adolescent girls of rural areas in Nepal”. Both papers highlighted on prevalence of health problems among adolescent girls due to lack of MHM knowledge.

Altogether, 25 participants attended the program. The forum was interactive with participants actively engaged in the discussions following the presentation by each of the resource persons. Participants avidly put forward their queries in relation to presented topics.