The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rifat Zafreen

Shilla is 12. These days she's a bit changed, showing off beat attitude. Her parents, relatives and mates feel her change but unaware about the root of that. She also can't share, just is puzzled and confused about herself. That day while she goes to her class, teacher comes to the class and starts lecturing on the adolescence reproductive health care. She gradually starts becoming bright and throwing away all her uneasiness and confusion as she feels, she knows the secrets of all her problems. She comes to know about the reproductive health care, its necessity and all statistics from her teachers lecture.

Good health in life depends mostly on proper health care during adolescence period. So learning on health care and reproductive health of this time is very important. In 1994 in Kayro (ICPD) Adolescent Reproductive Health Care was firstly formed prioritizing reproductive health care during adolescence period and thus was first approved internationally. Like many other developed and developing countries, Bangladesh has also emphasized upon the adolescents' reproductive health and sex health care and their learning.

According to WHO, people aged from 10 to 19 are considered as adolescents. This transition period in human life is very important and vulnerable, because, during this phase, boys and girls lack the actual knowledge, sense and wisdom of right and wrong. They remain very emotional, confused, shaky and tensed of their bodily and mental change. Only guardians can help being sympathetic towards them. Otherwise it might lead them to danger. So, their in time care, handling and soft sympathetic attitude can lessen this danger. Their proper direction is really needed during this time.

Bangladesh Scenario: Bangladesh has already taken this issue into an account. Here the number of adolescent population is 25% (3 crore). Among them 48% are female and 52% are male. This high rate of adolescents in population is another reason of the alarming population growth is this country. Because of the increase of this group of people, the rate of dependent people is also increasing and so increasing the pressure to mitigate the fundamental needs of health, nutrition and education.

Low status of the female population, desire and biasness for male children, illiteracy, early marriage and early pregnancy, malnutrition, ignorance in health care have made the female adolescents' health condition much more vulnerable than that of male adolescents.

Result of Ignorance of Reproductive Health Care: Only because of the ignorance of reproductive health care six lakh women are dying premature during birth giving. Most of them are premature mothers. This incidents are taking place mostly in the developing countries. Only proper family planning service can save the lives of two lakh mother. It is surprising that world wide 35 crore couples are excluded from having proper family planning information and service.

The number of unexpected pregnancy every year is 7 crore 50 lakh. Among them 4 crore 50 lakh face miscarriage. In the developing countries 2 lakh adolescents are having abortions. Almost 33 crore 30 lakh people get affected with different sexually transmitted diseases. The rate is highly alarming in youths. One in 20

youths is getting affected by it which is leading towards the possibility of getting affected by sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS. Research says among the number of the affected people 50 to 60% are the people aged 20 and among them girls are living in much more vulnerable condition.

Reasons of Unawareness about Reproductive Health Care among Adolescents: This scenario above is because of the unawareness of the importance of reproductive health care. Superstitious values of the guardians of discussing sex health and reproductive health and their care with the adolescents lead them lack of proper knowledge and advice on sex and reproductive health.

Lack of information on this subject in text books is also responsible for the unawareness of the adolescents on sex and reproductive health care. In health care program giving no importance to reproductive health care is another reason of ignorance on this subject. Besides, low status of the female population in the society, low rate of literacy of the adolescents, wrong conception on reproductive health care and misconception of the family and society about the adolescents are also responsible for ignoring reproductive health care by the adolescents in our country.

How the Condition Can Be Changed: This bad and unfortunate situation can be changed. For this, people of our country need to have idea of the bad impact of early marriage, right knowledge and information on sex and reproductive health, girls need to have idea of cleanliness during their period, adolescents need to have idea on sex behavior during pre and post marriage along with the secret of birth and idea of family planning. They should have also the idea that unexpected sexual behavior can lead to different sexual diseases. They need to know about premature and unexpected pregnancy, abortion and about safe pregnancy and sex. Drug addiction and smoking can bring health hazards, they should know.

They should be aware of dowry and its bad impact, malnutrition, physical and mental torture on women, rape. The adolescents with the guidance and help of their guardians should know about pregnancy, delivery and its different stages along with prevention of not getting and making pregnant.

It should not be forgotten that adolescents are our future, our leaders, our representatives. So, they need to be healthy physically and mentally.

They are the people on whom depends the picture of the coming world. So, their reproductive health issue is a very important issue. It is our responsibility to make them aware of their reproductive health to have a healthy world in future for us and for our generations.

Shila feels relaxed and happy at the end of the class. She realizes the she should convey to all she knows what she learns today in the class. Her parents and friends also should know about this. She promises herself to take care of her reproductive health and of her future generation for having a healthy family and future. -PID