Rwanda Standard Board (RSB) says it is still assessing East African Community standards before licensing the production of reusable sanitary pads, locally.

Tubahumurize Association, a local organisation, has started the production of reusable and cheap sanitary pads but is yet to receive the nod from RSB.

The New Times has learned that the standards body has already visited the association and assessed its activities.

The Director-General of RSB, Raymond Murenzi, said that there’s no consensus on the required standards of reusable pads as well as scientific evidence to support their safety.

Raymond Murenzi, the director-general of Rwanda Standard Board. E. Kwizera.

With World Bank statistics showing that at least 20 per cent of schoolgirls in the country, particularly in rural areas, miss school (up to 50 days per year) because they cannot afford sanitary pads, the demand to make the pads cheaper and more accessible is gaining momentum.

He says that in its manufacturing process, the organisation uses colour clothes to make the sanitary pads, whose dye can dissolve in the body fluid and cause toxic responses.

He also explained that the capacity of these pads to absorb fluids is low, which can lead to cloth soiling, skin irritation, the rapid growth of microorganisms which in turn will cause fungal and bacterial infections.

"Mode of disinfection or drying them under sunlight is not suitable to kill all microorganisms that can breed within the folds of the cloth, we are looking for better ways and we’ll let them know what can be done in the interest of the whole society” said Murenzi.

He, however, says that RSB is weighing options of how it can help the organisation apply better manufacturing processes.

Based on the concerns raised, Murenzi says that the standards body has also sought for help from the Ministries of Health, Gender and Youth as well as Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to formulate a national position on the matter.

"It will not take long, we will be meeting for a second consultation meeting to craft and agree on the national position on whether to move forward with reusable or not!” he said

Meanwhile, the regulator has cautioned women and girls against use of reusable sanitary pads because it will expose them to hygiene related risks.

Jeanne Mwiriliza, founder of Tubahumurize Association that produces reusable cheap pads for poor women says she initiated the idea after realising that sanitary pads are too expensive for women to afford.

For instance, the cheapest pack of 10 pads in Kamonyi District costs Rwf700, which many girls say is beyond their means.

"If we get licensed to produce reusable sanitary pads, we’ll produce more and lower prices, which will ease accessibility,” Mwiriliza said.

She added that, according to their survey, women who can’t afford the pads embark on other risky options such as torn clothes, or polythene bags.

Emma-Marie Bugingo, the Executive Director of Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe, said, more support should be given to local companies that are trying to come up with alternatives and promoting made in Rwanda products.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com