Prothom Alo Bondhushava workshop in Dhaka: Let puberty be discussed openly

A workshop titled Adolescent and Youth Friendly Reproductive Health Care was held at the auditorium of Manipur High School and College in the capital’s Rupnagar area on 30 August.

Pathfinder International and Prothom Alo jointly organised the workshop under the “Sukhi Jiban”(Happy Life) project of the USAID.

More than 200 students from ninth to twelfth grade from Monipur High School and College, Rupnagar Government High School, Kamal Ahmed Mazumder School and College, Dhaka Commerce College and Cambrian School and College participated in the workshop.

USAID adolescent and youth expert Fatema Shabnam said, “We have to be open regarding speaking about reproductive health. Awareness should be created among the parents and teachers to ensure that the teenagers get proper information regarding reproductive health and puberty."

Farhana Haque, the regional programme manager of the USAID Sukhi Jibon Project in Dhaka, shared insights regarding reproductive health. She said, menstrual irregularities during adolescence, marriage before the age of 18 and bearing many children lead to the potential risk of uterus cancer.

In response to a question from the student, she said five doses of TT vaccine are needed to be administered from the age of 15 to ensure safe pregnancy.

Addressing the workshop, USAID Sukhi Jibon Project’s digital health manager Abu Akhtaruzzaman Bhuiyan came up with several government helpline numbers and information regarding government healthcare centres.

He said the internet is full of misinformation. The adolescent has to avoid this sort of information to get proper information.