MoH to raise sex awareness among the youth

Marching against HIV/AIDS. (internet photo)

High school teenagers are easily lured into having sex with adult malefactors. Some go even farther and indulge themselves into taking drugs — they don’t really understand or see the danger lurking around them.

Officials in charge of Youth Reproduction and Adolescents at the Ministry of Health (Moh) say that their worries are based on the fact that most of the youth don’t know yet the physiological behaviors of their bodies, let alone how they can be driven to dangers.

“They don’t know how their reproductive organs work, nor do they understand how they can be affected with HIV/AIDS and other sexual-transmitted diseases,” said Florien Harindimana, Department of Youth Reproduction at MoH.

A research conducted in 2010 showed that there are over 600 unintended pregnancies among students from both primary and secondary schools. One district in Western Province was reported of having 300 youth pregnancies alone.

Most of the dangers prevail among teenagers who frequent bars as well as those taking drugs. It’s hard to be able to control yourself while in this unconscious state. Normally, children under 18 aren’t in any way allowed access to bars.

Sugar daddies/mammies are also responsible to lure high school students into having sex with them.

Attempting to curb those dangers, MoH officials have initiated a program in health centers where students are brought together for sex awareness. They are taught about abstinence, and the use of condoms because that’s the only way to prevent themselves from contracting HIV/AIDS, STDs and having unintended pregnancies.

Youth centers are also used to raise awareness. The Ministry of Health is also encouraging parents to have dialogues with their children in helping them to understand the eventual risks so that they be able to prevent them.

Posted by Jean de la Croix Tabaro on Aug 18 2012. Filed under Daily News, Health, National. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.