By Chioma Obinna

Imagine missing school or work every month because you can’t afford sanitary pads. This is the reality for over 37 million Nigerian women and girls, according to a former Minister of Women’s Affairs, Pauline Tallen.

Sadly, the current high cost of sanitary pads has pushed many more into period poverty, restricting their ability to work, study and participate in daily life.

In the face of this challenge, Sunday Vanguard probes how Nigerian women and girls navigate menstrual hygiene.

As a mother of three teenage girls, ages 14, 16 and 18, Mrs Joy Anyanwu has been bearing the burden of providing her girls with sanitary pads and other items they may require.

Joy, a teacher in one of the private schools in Ikotun area of Lagos, who lost her husband some years ago, said she is disturbed watching her girls use rags for their monthly period due to her inability to afford sanitary pads.

This development is no thanks to the high cost of sanitary pads.

The mother of three girls and two boys told Sunday Vanguard that due to her inability to afford these menstrual hygiene products, her children usually stay away from school and church services for four days in order not to be embarrassed.

With tears in her eyes, she said with a monthly salary of N30, 000, the family can barely feed three times a day.

“To support myself, I have been able to cut some of my unused wrappers in small sizes. I supervise the washing and anytime I have money I buy a pack and keep it in case any of them have tests or exams”, Joy told Sunday Vanguard.

"For instance, before now, a Lady Care pad of 10 pieces in a pack was sold between N300 and N450 last year. “Today, some go as high as N850, N1, 550, and N2, 980, depending on the area of purchase.

In supermarkets visited by Sunday Vanguard, the prices of popular brands like Always start from N985.

Some of the different types of Always pads like Ultra-normal with wings go for as high as N2, 785.

Some of the cheapest pads, like Lilypad Ultra-soft, a pack of 7, sell now for N510.

A Molped pad (Super Value Pack) is sold for N1, 810, a value pack of 10 goes for N965, Super Value Pack of 32 goes for N3, 270 and a Molped Ultra-soft of 10 is sold at N1, 145.

Also, Kotex Pad Ultra goes for N585, depending on the area of purchase.

“I tried going back to using toilet tissues, but their prices have also skyrocketed. Some of the cheap brands that go for N50 are now sold for N250,” Joy said.

Like Joy, many parents are facing a lot of trouble following the skyrocketing prices of sanitary products.

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard show that the cost of all brands of sanitary pads has gone out of the reach of the poor by over 400 per cent.

The prices of other popular economy brands like Virony sold at N1, 200 last year have gone up to N3, 000.

Angel pads of 10 are now sold for N700 while 10 pieces of Dry Love sanitary pad go for N900.

“My daughter almost missed her mock exams. She was supposed to go to school that morning when the period came out”, Joy said.

“I was not at home and there was no money to buy a pad. Thanks to my neighbour who volunteered to give her two pieces from her house.

“She got to school late. Government must put policies in place to check the high cost of essential products that can put the lives of people in danger; it is no longer easy for parents like me”.

Missing classes

For an undergraduate student at Imo State University, Celestina, many students are avoiding classes due to their inability to afford these sanitary pads.

“Girls are missing classes not because they are sick but because they cannot afford to spend their feeding money on expensive sanitary pads, especially some of them that experience heavy flow”, Celestina stated.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/period-poverty-millions-bleed-in-silence-as-prices-of-sanitary-pads-hit-the-roof/amp/

No wonder they stick to men to do the pay bills.

Agbadorian ladies brain will soon reset. When de hear Tinubu dem go remember their period go smell and it will disgrace them in public

Imagine the smell down there when no proper pad

Wahala!

JUST "HAPPY SUNDAY" BY TEXT MESSAGE TO LONDON THIS?

Chai

People are wicked in this country.

Greed will finish us in this country.

Go to trade fare and see how street retailers are ripping us off big time.

My wife bought her body cream CT+ at the rate 2100 in trade fare yesterday while in our area retailers are selling it for 3700.

Kk brothers soap my wife bought the pack for 7k(6pieces) while one is sold for 1700 by retailers.

Her sanitary pad she bought 1 pack at the rate of 1050 while retailers sell for 1700.

Even strike bitters sachet pack(20 pieces) wey I dey always use console myself i buy for 2000k she got it for 1450.

Note she didn't even buy at carton price but at pack price because if she was buying in carton the price would be lower that than.


Just yesterday I bought a derica of rice on my way back home for 900 around oshodi terminal while the seller in my street is still selling for 1300 despite price of bag of rice coming down.

We are own problem.......everyone is wicked in this country.

Na knack and go, sorry no time for love.

Prices of sanitary pads are actually off the roof .