By Ejire Folakunmi
A public health expert has called on Nigerian organizations to adopt deliberate workplace policies addressing menstrual disorders, warning that these conditions are quietly eroding productivity and limiting female participation in the workforce.
Roselynn Etukudo-Modi, Head of Human Resources at the Society for Family Health (SFH), made the call on Friday in Abuja during a webinar marking International Women’s Day 2026. The event, themed “From Awareness to Action: Supporting Women with Menstrual Disorders,” brought together leaders from the health, policy, and corporate sectors.
Etukudo-Modi, who also serves as SFH’s Gender Champion, cited studies showing that menstrual disorders are highly prevalent among Nigerian women, with some research reporting rates as high as 90.4%.
“These disorders do not only bring discomfort; they affect performance. For school-age girls, many miss classes entirely because of menstrual problems,” she said. She argued that the high prevalence should compel organizations to reclassify menstrual health from a private hygiene matter to an occupational health concern.
Etukudo-Modi outlined a framework for organizational response built on three pillars: recognition, response, and measurement. She urged managers to handle disclosures with empathy and recommended policies such as, flexible work arrangements for those with severe symptoms. Adequate sanitary facilities within the workplace. Structured interventions rather than relying on individual supervisor goodwill.
“Creating an enabling environment is not charity; it is strategy. When women thrive, organizations thrive,” she added.
Also speaking at the event, Prof. Constance Shehu, a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, provided a clinical overview. She emphasized that while menstruation is a natural physiological process, disorders like amenorrhea (absence of periods), irregular cycles, and heavy bleeding require medical attention.
“The most common issue we see is heavy menstrual bleeding. Some women must change pads every two hours and are unable to function daily,” Shehu noted, adding that such conditions can lead to severe complications like anemia. She shared a personal account of a peer whose severe pain was dismissed as “exaggeration,” only to be diagnosed years later as endometriosis.
Shehu urged healthcare providers to take menstrual complaints seriously and encouraged women and adolescent girls to use mobile apps or diaries to track their cycles for more accurate diagnoses. The webinar concluded with a call for society to view menstrual health as a critical link to gender equity, dignity, and economic growth.