Experts call for a medium to discuss sex

VADODARA, May 2: The common man in the contemporary Indian society is physically, mentally, notionally, sociologically and even spiritual...

VADODARA, May 2: The common man in the contemporary Indian society is physically, mentally, notionally, sociologically and even spiritually ill, according to experts at a day-long seminar on Emerging Health Education Needs in India8217; at Faculty of Social Work, M S University, here on Sunday.

The representatives from NGOs 8212; including Chetna, Sewa Rural and Sarthi 8212; as well as medical experts observed that it is the inequality at the macro and micro level in the society that has severely affected the medium of communication for health education, specially sex-related issues, among individuals and families.

Underlining the need to speed up efforts to correct misconceptions and spread health awareness, they said factors which lead to ill-health should be controlled, because if unchecked, they become challenges and threats in form of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, and mental distresses. Calling a need for a medium to discuss sex and sex-related matters, experts observed that such topics hardly found a mention in classrooms or universities, thought it was practiced at almost every level in the modern Indian society. Why not than educate, because in a medium8217;s absence there are chances of misguidance and exploitation by the wrong people, Vinit Sharma, surveillance office, World Health Organisation WHO, Gandhinagar, pointed out.

Stating that either text on sex education for schools and colleges was unavailable or there was lack of trained staff for the purpose, he said such inadequacies finally led to physical and mental illness among the young generation, unlike earlier, when there were mediums to discuss such issues in joint families. Dr Prakash Kotecha from Preventive and Social Medicine, Vadodara Medical College spoke on Existing Health Education Needs8217;, while senior gynecologist Maya Hazra stressed the need to spread health education for adolescent girls and boys.

Dr J R Kamath, chairman, Health Care Management Committee of the Baroda Management Association conducted the seminar. While Gujarat Electricity Board chairman Nalin Bhatt was the chief guest on the occasion, M S University Vice-Chancellor Anil Kane presided over the inaugural session. Faculty dean Prof A S Navale welcomed the participants and department reader Dr Aruna Khasgiwala detailed the gathering about the objectives of the seminar. Renu Khanna, Jyoti Gade and Dr Shobha Shah represented the NGOs. Prof Varsha Anjaria chaired the first session.