Youth Health and Awareness Initiatives by Bihar AIDS control society
On September 26th, college campus was abuzz with a host of activities aimed at promoting awareness on World Contraception Day. The event was organised by Sehat Kendra, Patna Women’s College in collaboration with Bihar State AIDS control society. Ms. Pratibha Rani IAS, Project Director, BSACS, Patna was the chief guest.
The resource persons for the day were Dr. AK Shahi, State Program Officer – Family Planning, State Health Society, Bihar and Mr. Alok Kumar Singh, Assistant Director – Youth, BSACS.
The event was designed to engage students and spread essential knowledge on issues affecting today’s youth, with a particular focus on menstrual hygiene, adolescent health, and financial literacy.
One of the key highlights of the event was the discussion surrounding Sehat Kendra, a significant initiative presented at the national level during G20 and at the international level, which deals with the health-related shortcomings faced by the youth of India. Various activities were conducted throughout the day, all centered on promoting awareness of health issues such as anemia, a pressing concern among the young population.
Students made posters on important topics like menstrual hygiene, and family planning methods available at government institutions. These methods include male and female sterilization, condoms, weekly contraceptive pills, and emergency contraception pills. The event emphasized the need to sensitize the young population about reproductive health and family planning, particularly in Bihar, where the 2011 census revealed that the third most populous state in India, with significant challenges related to early marriage and adolescent pregnancy. The data shared during the event highlighted that 40% of women aged 20-24 years were married before the age of 18, and every fifth person in Bihar is an adolescent.The winners of the Poster competition were given prizes by BSACS
Total of 70 students participated. The event was co-ordinated by NSS Programme Officers, Dr Shahla Rehana and Dr Amrita.
