Health experts at a meeting said life-oriented and health education are crucial for adolescents for proper grooming up that eventually would help build a healthy nation.
They expressed the view at the orientation meeting on ‘Adolescent Reproductive Health and Life Skill’ organised by the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Unit of the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) on Wednesday at a local hotel in Rangpur.
The Civil Surgeons, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, Medical Officers, executives of Organisation of Gynecological Society of Bangladesh (OGSB), Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and NGOs, Heads of different secondary level educational institutions, religious leaders, adolescents and officials of different departments of Rangpur and Kurigram participated.
Divisional Director (Health) Dr Mostafa Khaled Ahmed attended the meeting as chief guest with Deputy Director of the Department of Family Planning (DFP) for Rangpur Dr Sheikh Md Saidul Islam in the chair.
Regional Consultant of Family Planning Clinical Supervision and Quality Improvement Team of the DFP for Rangpur Dr Ahmed Munaf Chowdhury narrated objectives of the event.
Programme Manager (Adolescent Reproductive Health) of the MCH Services Unit of DGFP Dr Md Joynal Haque discussed on “Present status of adolescents in Bangladesh and steps taken by the government for providing adolescent health services” in the meeting.
President of Rangpur BMA Dr Delwar Hossain, Deputy Director of the DFP for Kurigram Dr Md Nazrul Islam, Civil Surgeon for Rangpur Dr Hirombo Kumar Roy, President of Rangpur unit of OGSB Professor Dr Ferdousi Sultana addressed.
The speakers discussed the importance of proper learning about reproductive health by adolescents since beginning of their physical and mental changes and creating awareness among parents to stand beside their children during puberty.
They said adolescents’ face challenges like — sexual, reproductive and mental health, violence and nutrition — due to lack of knowledge about using hygienic sanitary napkins which causes sexually transmitted diseases.
They laid emphasis on inclusive GO-NGO efforts involving all stakeholders for proper implementation of the National Strategy for Adolescent Health 2017-2030 to ensure adolescent-friendly health services for normal growth of adolescents.
The chief guest stressed the need for ensuring life skills-based education on reproductive health for adolescents to assist them in taking realistic decisions at tougher moments in life and inspire others in following their footsteps.
“Parents should be aware of behavioral changes of adolescents and save them from addiction to playing games using electronic devices and educate on reproductive health, food habits, hygiene, sanitation and social values for making better citizens,” he said.