- Lusaka applauded the LREB counties for spearheading menstrual hygiene programmes.
- “We must turn words into action to overcome this challenge.”
Image: FILE
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has called for practical solutions to address menstrual hygiene challenges across the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) counties.
Speaking at the LREB's annual sanitation and menstrual hygiene management summit in Kisumu, Lusaka said issues around menstrual hygiene must be looked at as a matter of priority.
"Menstrual hygiene is not just a health concern, it's an ecosystem issue, with far-reaching social and economic consequences," he stressed.
Lusaka applauded the LREB counties for spearheading menstrual hygiene programmes, highlighting their potential as a springboard for achieving significant progress.
"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,” he said.
The summit brought together LREB county governors, their spouses, county executive members, and MCAs, among others, showcasing a united front in addressing menstrual hygiene needs across the region.
LREB is one of the six economic blocs adopted in Kenya and consists of 14 counties: Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homabay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Transnzoia, Vihiga around Lake Victoria and its environs.
Counties, corporations, and individuals in Western Kenya driving the adoption of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and market-based sanitation will be awarded at the conference.
The awards will be given under three categories: counties, individuals, and other enterprises that have done well on matters of sanitation and MHM.
The event is aimed at promoting approaches that multiply investments in sanitation and MHM in the region.
In June, seven innovation groups in Western Kenya were awarded grants of Sh10 million each to research and develop technology-based solutions and designs to solve sanitation problems
The project implemented by USAID through a programme, dubbed The Hackathon, is aimed at addressing the gaps in sanitation and menstrual hygiene that counties in the region have been struggling to address