Lusaka, Otuoma call for mainstreaming of policies on menstrual hygiene

By Peter Ochieng

Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka has called for practical solutions to tackle menstrual hygiene challenges across the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) counties.

Speaking at LREB's annual sanitation and menstrual hygiene management summit in Kisumu on Thursday, Lusaka emphasised on the urgency of the issue, on the backdrop of rising teenage pregnancies in the region.

"Menstrual hygiene is not just a health concern, its an ecosystem issue, with far-reaching social and economic consequences," he stated.

"These campaigns are critical, especially as our counties grapple with increasing cases of teenage pregnancies. We must turn words into action to overcome this challenge."

Lusaka applauded the LREB counties for spearheading menstrual hygiene programs, highlighting their potential as a springboard for achieving significant progress across the country.

His Busia counterpart Paul Nyongesa Otuoma said there is need to ensure the safeguard of gains made so far in sanitation and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), not only among member counties of LREB, but countrywide.

The first term county boss is LREB's MHM champion.

"As the Bloc’s MHM Champion, I challenge colleague governors to mainstream sanitation and menstrual hygiene management policies and budgets to ensure effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation to tackle the challenge of unavailability of menstrual hygiene products, knowledge dissemination, resource mobilization and poor sanitation," he said.

The summit will culminate in the Inaugural annual sanitation and hygiene awards, aimed at recogniding and celebrating member counties, corporate partners, development partners, civil society, entrepreneurs, and individuals among others who have demonstrated exceptional support to advancing sanitation and MHM agenda in the Lake region.

The venture is a collaboration of the bloc, USAID Western Kenya Sanitation Project and other partners.

LREB region comprises of 14 counties namely; Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Bomet, Kericho, Nandi, Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia.