Heath Desk- 15 Dec 2019: Improving the integration of sexual
and reproductive health (SRH) into HIV-related programmes can better tackle the
sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), speakers at a roundtable said Saturday.
Terming lack
of literacy on SRH among adolescents alarming, they also stressed for
integrated and multi-sectoral approach to make the best use of resources.
Bangla daily
Prothom Alo organised the roundtable at it office, titled “Necessity of sexual
and reproductive health service in HIV prevention programme and to-do”, in
association with Save the Children and the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA).
“SRH
literacy among adolescents is still 12.5 percent. This is concerning,” Shamim
Jahan, director of HIV-AIDS sector of Save the Children, said.
Speakers at
the discussion also stressed for bringing the entire population under
integration, rather than focusing only on target groups like sex workers.
Dr Ahmedul
Kabir, professor of medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said HIV is
mostly a sexually-transmitted disease, and that needs to be recognised first.
According to
the Directorate General of Health Services, the number of HIV-infected people
has increased to 990 in 2019 from 869 in 2018. Besides, the number of deaths
has increased to 70 from 48 during the same period.
Prof
Saifullah Munsi, chairman of virology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University (BSMMU), spoke of designing programmes considering the local context
and resources, rather than only considering prescription and funding from
global organisations.
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