Africa's silent menstrual health crisis

Women and girls across Africa continue to face undiagnosed menstrual health disorders, limited access to specialised healthcare and persistent social stigma, prompting organisers of this year's Women's Health Summit to broaden the conversation around period poverty beyond access to sanitary products.

The summit, scheduled for August in Johannesburg under the theme Access Granted, will bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders to explore sustainable solutions to what organisers describe as Africa's silent menstrual health crisis.

Speaking ahead of the event, Bianca Nyamuparadza, founder of the Gynae Warriors Network, said period poverty should not be viewed solely as the inability to afford sanitary pads.

She said millions of women and girls continue to face barriers including delayed diagnoses, limited access to specialist healthcare, misinformation and the high cost of treatment for menstrual and gynaecological conditions.

"My journey started because of the lack of information," Nyamuparadza said.

"As a young woman, I kept complaining about the symptoms I was experiencing during my period, but I was constantly told that what I was experiencing was normal. Eventually, I stopped talking about it."

She said it was only after researching her symptoms online that she realised she was living with a recognised menstrual health disorder.

"When I discovered Google, I realised I was not crazy. Everything I was experiencing was documented. The problem was not that the conditions did not exist, but that people simply didn't know about them," she said.

The experience inspired her to establish what was then known as Shine in 2010, a movement dedicated to raising awareness about menstrual health and supporting women living with menstrual and gynaecological disorders.

Over the past 16 years, the organisation has expanded beyond Zimbabwe into several African countries through a network of ambassadors and representatives. It is also developing educational resources, including a book and magazine focused on menstrual health.

Despite increased awareness, Nyamuparadza said stigma continues to discourage many women from seeking medical assistance.

"Many women don't want to be seen as part of the movement because society immediately associates menstrual disorders with infertility," she said.

"They prefer to suffer behind closed doors rather than face judgement."

She said this silence has left many girls, particularly those living in rural communities, without access to life-changing information or specialised healthcare.

"I kept asking myself, what about the little girl in a village in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria who cannot access Google? What happens when her parents don't know and her teachers don't know? That is when I realised we needed to reach people differently," she said.

Nyamuparadza argued that period poverty should be understood as a broader public health and development issue.

"Period poverty goes beyond donating sanitary pads," she said.

"There are girls living with undiagnosed diseases for years. There is bullying, untreated trauma, lack of healthcare, lack of education and the inability to afford specialist treatment."

She noted that specialist consultations for menstrual disorders often cost more than US$100, excluding diagnostic tests and treatment, placing comprehensive care beyond the reach of many women. Even those who can afford specialist services frequently face long waiting periods due to limited availability.

Nyamuparadza said addressing the crisis requires coordinated action across multiple sectors, rather than treating menstrual health solely as a women's issue.

She called for teachers to receive training to recognise menstrual health challenges among learners and for industries such as tourism and hospitality to provide appropriate support for women living with severe menstrual disorders.

"If a seven-year-old starts menstruating while at school and the teacher has never been trained, that teacher can unintentionally become part of that child's trauma," she said.

"Every ministry has a role to play because menstrual health affects education, tourism, workplaces, families and communities."

She added that governments, healthcare institutions, educators and communities must work together to develop long-term solutions that improve access to information, diagnosis and treatment.

For Nyamuparadza, the summit represents more than an annual gathering.

"It is not simply about recognising successful women; it is about tracking our progress, identifying where we are falling behind and finding sustainable solutions that ensure every woman and girl, regardless of where she lives, has access to the information, healthcare and support she deserves," she said.

She believes Africa can only overcome its silent menstrual health crisis when menstrual disorders are recognised not as a private women's issue, but as a shared public health and development challenge requiring collective action.