Parents urged to discuss reproductive health with children

GATSIBO – Parents in Gatsibo District have been reminded to discuss reproductive health with their children as a way of combating HIV/ Aids among teenagers.The call was made during a training workshop on reproductive health methods and the fight against HIV Aids that targeted students and school dropouts organised by Health Poverty Action project.During the programme, it was observed that parents rarely discussed reproductive health issues with their children, thus causing many to engage in early sex that ultimately resulted in the spread of HIV/Aids.“Parents should be the first to teach their children such lessons waiting for them to learn them at school. This can minimise the spread of HIV Aids,” said Ariane Dusenge, an official from Health Poverty Action.According to Dusenge, the training mainly targeted school dropouts.“We target school dropouts who mainly don’t get a chance of going to school where they can learn such lessons on reproductive health and HIV Aids. We encourage parents to always discuss the issue with their children,” she commended.A school dropout, Marie Bonne Concilia Dusabirema, said that some parents don’t even talk about reproductive methods with their children, causing them to engage in illegal sexual affairs.“If you don’t discuss reproductive health issues with your parents, you cannot know how to avoid unwanted pregnancies…and the HIV Aids pandemic. Parents should be the ones to teach their children about the issue right from childhood,” she commented.

National

Parents urged to discuss reproductive health with children