HIV/AIDS Prevention through Qualitative Adolescent Reproductive Health Literacy

HIV/AIDS Prevention through
Qualitative Adolescent Reproductive Health Literacy

Anirudha Alam

Parents should be thoroughly taught about HIV/AIDS prevention from the Community Learning Centre (CLC). Then they will be able to build up their capacity properly to make their children aware of HIV/AIDS initially. Adolescents have more opportunities to be misguided due to their peer pressure and involved in danger for having inadequate knowledge as to safe reproductive health. So the scopes should be made available for the adolescents that they can learn about reproductive health care through their academic curriculum. In this regard, teachers having more friendly behavior may play an important and essential role coming in close contact with the students. They may arrange peer group session regularly under the respective course curriculum. Operating various kinds of cultural and entertainment oriented events in the campus may add extra attraction stimulating students’ interest in HIV/AIDS Prevention Program. If we fail to take necessary and timely initiatives comprehensively for ensuring qualitative adolescents reproductive health literacy HIV/AIDS prevalence will be climbing higher into new population rapidly in the vulnerable parts of the world.

Qualitative reproductive health literacy comes in to bring about positive attitude among the adolescents to prevent HIV/AIDS. Simultaneously a promising and profound perception is engendered throughout their inner beings to practice general health care regularly. As a result they will not be affected easily by superstitions and ill believes. They can help other people to combat such kind of social problems as well. Early marriage, dowry, polygamy and so on create various kinds of social ailment which gives rise to sexual wantonness. The adolescents may be involved to foil the spread of social deterioration promoted by early marriage, dowry and polygamy. They may create awareness working door to door and arranging courtyard meeting on the importance of reproductive health literacy. Thus community based reproductive health campaign can be strengthened with the help of collective effort of local adolescents. This promising endeavor has far-reaching sustainable impact to lessen the vulnerability related to HIV/AIDS calamity communitywise.

Qualitative reproductive health literacy helps to kindle the inner beings and values of adolescents to do something having a well-thought-out plan. Thus counting on strong and deepest confidence, adolescents begin to learn that they have right to know how they can protect themselves and how to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS. Many persons think that reproductive health literacy may lead to greater sexual activity and promiscuity among the adolescents. But it is not true at all. As per the findings of various in-depth surveys, there is no alternative of qualitative health literacy to increase responsible behavior. Responsible behavior makes adolescents interested to know about basic facts on HIV/AIDS and other STIs and the essential skills to protect themselves. Concurrently adolescents are stirred up to know how to safeguard their family members and friends from HIV/AIDS as well as how to make them participate in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.

Community based HIV/AIDS prevention activities should be conducted gathering assistance and support enormously from the community people through giving emphasis on their perceptions especially. In this regard, social mobilization may be ignited organizing community based adolescent welfare organization all along. This strategic plan results in more community participation through the perspective of action research. Community’s participation towards the HIV/AIDS prevention program promoted by social mobilization can equips people to make healthy decisions concerning their own lives. To bring about long-term healthy behaviors and give community people the scope for economic independence and hope, qualitative reproductive health literacy may play a significant role. It helps to slow and reverse the spread of STIs contributing to social upliftment through preventing dowry, early marriage, polygamy and other social diseases.

So to outline an integrated and ideal HIV/AIDS prevention program, participation of community people comprising adolescents having qualitative reproductive health literacy should be ensured any how. As a whole in the aspect of implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention program successfully, it certainly needs to fulfill and guarantee the right to qualitative reproductive health literacy for the adolescents.

Anirudha Alam
Deputy Director
(Information & Development Communication)
BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services)
183, Lane 2, Eastern Road, New DOHS
Mohakhali, Dhaka 1206
Bangladesh.
Website: http://www.newsletter.com.bd/anirudha
Phone: 01718342876, 9889732, 9889733 (office), 8050514 (res.)
E-mail: anirudha.alam@gmail.com, info@bees-bd.org, bees@worldnetbd.net

Ref: UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNISEF