Migori becomes the first county to launch a Menstrual Hygiene Management Policy that seeks to address the access and safe disposal of menstrual products.
Through the support of organizations and partners including West Kenya Sanitation Project, the AMREF Kenya and Rongo University, Migori County aims to use the policy to tackle issues around the accessibility of menstrual products among the less fortunate tin the society.
This is in addition to the management of menstrual waste products through proper disposal mechanisms, which will help in avoiding environmental degradation
According to Mr. Tom Odhong’, the County Director of Public Health and Sanitation, the document targets the needy and vulnerable in the community who are the most affected when it comes to obtaining, using, disposing of the menstrual products.
“The policy is customized to suit the community members in Migori County by catering to the needy and vulnerable girls and women while avoiding environmental degradation,” said Mr Odhong’.
The health official noted that cases of absenteeism among student is on the rise due to lack of menstrual products and that the document comes in time to help alleviate this challenge.
Moreover, he outlined that together with the partners, they have curated the policy to enable efficient use of incinerators to burn menstrual waste instead of disposing them in pit latrines which causes clogging and quick filling of septic tanks.
Through systematic placement of bins in various institution, they aim to collect all menstrual waste which will in turn be transported to the County Referral Hospital for burning.
The director also alluded to the official launch of the project in an event that will be graced by the county’s first lady.
Duncan Arunda, the County Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) coordinator noted that the policy touched on innovation, research, entrepreneurship, and sustainability, through their partnership with Rongo University.
He revealed that the university, through its textile unit, will aid in production of both disposable and reusable sanitary towels that will be made available to the locals.
According to Dr. Maurine Adoyo, a senior researcher at the institution, they produce 1000 towels daily and up to 20000 during working days.
Though their production capacity is high, she said that consumption is low despite many girls dropping out of school due to inability to access menstrual products.
She also credited the low demand to ignorance and stigmatization, saying that many people associate the reusable towels with poverty.
Conversely, the chairman of the legislation committee and representative of the county assembly, Collins Haggai, confirmed that the development of a work plan and budget for the next financial year to facilitate the project was underway.
“I want to indicate that this document had been passed by the assembly. We had executed what is expected of us, and a budget for this project has been tabled,” he said.
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