By Bunmi Yekini
The Sanitary Pad Media Campaign (SPMC) will launch a 13-week radio explainer series aimed at improving menstrual health awareness among girls and women, organisers said on Tuesday.
The programme, titled “Your Menstrual Health in 5 Minutes,” is designed to provide accessible and practical information on menstruation, while encouraging open conversations around a topic long considered taboo in many communities.
SPMC said the weekly five-minute episodes would address issues including menstrual cycles, hygiene, hormonal changes, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and common period-related challenges, using clear and culturally sensitive language.
“For far too long, menstrual health has remained a hushed topic, leaving many girls and women to rely on myths and misinformation,” the group said in a statement, adding that the lack of reliable information has contributed to poor health decisions and avoidable suffering.
Anikeade Funke-Treasure Akintoye, convener of SPMC, said the initiative aligns with this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day theme, “Towards a Period Friendly World,” and leverages radio’s wide reach.
“As an intimate medium, radio provides a space for people to learn without shame or bias,” she said. “We are using radio to break the silence that a culture of concealment has sustained for years.”
The campaign returns to the airwaves following the success of its earlier radio drama series broadcast across Nigeria in 2023 and 2024.
Public affairs and communications strategist Oluwayemisi Adekunle said menstrual health should be viewed as a broader public health and equity issue, affecting education, productivity and quality of life.
“At its core, this initiative is about dignity and health literacy. Periods should not control a woman’s life with the right information and support,” she said.
Media and development communications expert Adebisi Adetunji added that the series simplifies complex health information in a conversational format, making it easier for listeners to understand and apply.
The programme will premiere on May 6, 2026, and air every Wednesday at 0755 local time on Smailz 98.7 FM.