The Ministry of Health has warned that poor menstrual hygiene remains a major contributor to school absenteeism, teenage pregnancy and maternal health complications among adolescent girls, calling for coordinated action to ensure every school-going girl has access to menstrual hygiene products and facilities.
The Commissioner in charge of Reproductive and Infant Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Richard Mugahi, said many girls continue to miss school during their menstrual periods because they lack access to sanitary pads and appropriate hygiene facilities.
Dr. Mugahi said the resulting school absenteeism contributes to Uganda’s high teenage pregnancy rate, which stands at about 25 percent, as girls who drop out of school become more vulnerable.
“We have stories of girls failing to go to school because they lack adequate menstrual hygiene support. That dropout rate is partly responsible for the high teenage pregnancy rate that we have as a country,” he said.
He explained that the ministry intends to use menstrual hygiene programmes as an entry point to educate adolescent girls on sexual and reproductive health in an effort to reduce teenage pregnancies.
According to Dr. Mugahi, teenage pregnancies expose young girls to serious health risks because many of their bodies are not yet fully developed for childbirth.
He warned that complications during pregnancy and delivery can lead to disability or even death, including conditions such as obstetric fistula.
The commissioner said government is working with the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve menstrual hygiene management in schools by constructing girl-friendly sanitation facilities, including changing rooms for girls.
He noted that such interventions have already begun in parts of northern Uganda and are expected to expand to more schools across the country.
Dr. Mugahi also appealed to private sector players, particularly manufacturers and suppliers of sanitary pads, to partner with government in expanding access to affordable menstrual hygiene products.
He said with nearly half of Uganda’s learners being girls, addressing menstrual hygiene is critical to keeping them in school and safeguarding the country’s future human capital.
The commissioner further revealed that government is strengthening mechanisms to account for girls who disappear from school, saying authorities want to establish whether they have dropped out, become pregnant or face other challenges requiring intervention.
He stressed that investing in girls’ education and reproductive health is essential if Uganda is to achieve its long-term development goals and attain middle-income status.
Dr. Mugahi pledged the Ministry of Health’s continued support for menstrual hygiene initiatives and personally contributed Shs1 million towards the campaign, while urging other stakeholders to join efforts aimed at improving menstrual health and keeping girls in school.
