Sunyani: Adolescent girls have been urged to prefer panties or underwear made with cotton to synthetic ones during menstruation. Mrs. Felicia Konadu, the Health Promotion Manager at the Sunyani Municipal Directorate of Health, emphasized that synthetic-made panties and underwear could expose girls to infections during their menses.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Konadu advised girls to opt for underwear with a variety of colors rather than purely black ones. She provided this guidance during a menstrual hygiene education session for basic schoolgirls as part of the 2026 Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) celebrations in Sunyani. The MHD, observed globally on May 28 each year, aims to raise awareness about menstruation and encourage governments and stakeholders to improve menstrual health and hygiene services.
The WENSAH Foundation International, a charity organization, organized the event for the girls from Sunyani St. Patrick and Nyamaa basic schools. Mrs. Konadu highlighted the importance of good menstrual hygiene in protecting against infections and discharges. She described menstruation as a natural phenomenon and advised girls to be mindful of the type of panties and underwear they wear during this sensitive period.
Mrs. Konadu noted that it is normal for some girls to experience lower abdominal pains and encouraged those experiencing such pains to stay physically active to manage them. She also advised frequent changing of sanitary products during menstruation, washing and exposing underwear to direct sunlight, and ironing them before wearing.
Mrs. Fati Kine Lam, the Bono Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation, advised the girls to bathe frequently and use lime to clean sensitive body parts during menstruation to prevent body odor. She urged girls not to be socially excluded during their menses and called for efforts to dispel misconceptions and myths about menstruation to promote good menstrual hygiene and protect girls' reproductive health.
Mr. Isaac Osei Amponsah, the Chief Executive Officer of the WENSAH Foundation International, expressed gratitude to the Ignatius Eye Clinic, Grace Land Roofing System, and Indomie Ghana for their support. He mentioned that the foundation and its partners are working with school authorities to provide monthly sanitary pads to less privileged girls. The foundation and its partners later distributed sanitary pads and meals to the school girls, with each of the 150 girls receiving sanitary pads to manage their menses.