LSAH managing director Leela Ramsingh, left, accepts a Menstrual Hygiene Day poster from artist Monica Ramdial.
PICTURE COURTESY LSAH
Equity ...on Menstrual Hygiene Day

Appointed as the local partner of WASH United to sponsor and build awareness of Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) in T&T in 2019, LSA Healthcare Services (LSAH) Limited Team, led by managing director Leela Ramsingh, is gearing up to kick off Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 (MH Day 2020). Started in 2013, it is commemorated on May 28 annually. This year’s theme is It’s Time for Action.

Globally, poor menstrual hygiene caused by a lack of education on the issue, persisting taboos and stigma, limited access to hygienic menstrual products and poor sanitation infrastructure, undermines the educational opportunities, health and overall social status of women and girls around the world.

As a result, millions of women and girls are kept from reaching their full potential.

Defining LSAH, Ramsingh said: “LSA Healthcare Services Limited is a Trinidad and Tobago based family-run company with over 25 years of combined hygiene industry expertise. LSAH provides a variety of washroom solutions to ensure your employees, clients and stakeholders have a consistently comfortable and hygienic washroom experience.

“LSAH supplies and services a full range of innovative products including Menstrual Waste Management Systems, Hand Hygiene, Odour neutralising and other Cubicle Solutions for female and male washrooms nationwide.

“Our quest is to make every washroom we service and maintain, a period-friendly one.”

Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is a global advocacy platform that brings together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) for all women and girls.

More specifically, MH Day:

■  Breaks the silence, raises awareness and changes negative social norms around menstrual hygiene management MHM, and

■  Engages decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHM, at global, national and local levels.

Said Ramsingh: “Since periods don’t stop for pandemics, this year six artists collaborated virtually to create the Menstruation Bracelet, which consists of 28 beads, five of which are red (28 = average duration of the cycle; five = average days of bleeding).

“This year, we want to establish the Menstruation Bracelet as a simple yet powerful global symbol for menstruation and MH Day.”

Local artists Sandra Maraj and Monica Ramdial have contributed designs to the global movement by creating their own unique Menstruation Bracelets and original artwork to bring awareness and advocacy for menstruation equity globally.

Continued Ramsingh: “This refers to the affordability, accessibility and safety of menstrual products. But menstrual equity is not just defined by products—it is also about education and reproductive care.

“It’s about making sure that people have access to support, choices and facilities, to decide how they want to take care of their menstrual health.

“It’s also about finally ending the stigma around periods that has prevented not only decision-makers, but also healthcare providers, educators and individuals from ensuring that menstrual health is a priority.”

ABOUT MH DAY:

MH Day was initiated by the German non-profit WASH United in 2013.

WASH United is the overall global coordinator of MH Day and acts as its international secretariat. WASH United’s role includes: Coordination of the MH Day partner network comprising of >500 social impact organisations, Overall strategy and direction for MH Day, Creation and dissemination of content for the annual MH Day campaign and ongoing campaigning, External communication (MH Day website, social media and newsletters) and representation of MH Day (at conferences and other sector events), Strategic partnerships (including with the media) and fundraising, and Monitoring and reporting.

The MH Day activities in the countries are coordinated by local MH Day partners.