Children’s activists argue that educating young children about sexual and reproductive health is the best way to combat the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among teenagers.
According to Juliana Ooi of the social enterprise X Ed Malaysia, since most Asian parents find it awkward to talk to their kids about birds and bees, it will be best to first give the parents the information they need to do this.
She made the observation that the number of teenage STD cases that Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek revealed in Parliament on October 30 might only be the beginning.
“It’s likely that the figure excluded cases that were left untreated or self-treated, as well as information from nonprofit and commercial healthcare providers.
Nevertheless, this is a chance for collaboration between the Ministries of Education, Health, Women, Family, and Community Development.
“Youth-centered sexual and reproductive health services, including testing, treatment, and follow-ups, should be better delivered,” the speaker stated.
According to Ooi, who leads workshops on sexuality education for kids and teens, it’s critical to assess the teens’ comprehension of the topic in order to provide them with additional prevention knowledge and self-defense skills.
“This includes tactics like finding a reliable adult to confide in, being aware of where to go for support, like a one-stop crisis centre, accessing healthcare services, and emphasising the value of receiving early screening or treatment, among other things, if they exhibit symptoms (of STDs).”
“When they are informed about sexually transmitted diseases, they are not only aware of how to avoid them, but they also know who to contact for assistance if they or their friends find themselves in a similar circumstance.
“In order to encourage them to come forward, it is crucial that health services are youth-centered as well,” she continued.
Ooi demanded a safe haven where parents and guardians could initiate dialogue with their kids.
Upskilling parents and guardians in topics related to sexuality education in a secure environment is beneficial. Without a safe haven, a lot of people might rely on non-scientific, non-educational sources and get false information, the speaker stated.
To help lower the obstacles and make it easier to have conversations about sexuality education at home, X Ed is currently creating a toolkit.
The toolkit is made with materials that are age-appropriate and is intended to be both culturally and religiously sensitive.
The toolkit is based on international technical guidelines on sexuality education, she continued, adding that it “helps parents get ready to have the discussions with their children based on their comfort level.”
According to Fadhlina, 913 teenagers (aged 13 to 17) tested positive for HIV, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and chancroid between 2018 and 2022.
She stated that there were 255 cases in 2018, 225 in 2019, 191 in 2020, 96 in 2021, and 146 in the previous year, citing data from the Health Ministry.
The age group of 16 to 24 years old has seen the largest increase in STDs, according to the ministry’s MyHEALTH portal.
