Workshop against child marriage
Speakers at a workshop yesterday emphasised the need for raising awareness on the dangers of early marriage and pregnancy as it increases mortality risk of both mother and child.
“Early marriage and pregnancy at a transition period from a child to a woman pose both physical and psychological challenge to a girl, since she has to play three roles -- child, teenager, and mother -- all at the same time," said Md Abdul Waheed Akanda, chief of Bureau of Health Education (BHE).
He was addressing a disseminating workshop titled “Health Education Intervention on Adolescent Reproductive Health among the School Students” organised by BHE at the Institute of Public Health in the capital.
"More than 75 percent girls are married off before they reach the age of 18 and most of them conceive before that age," said Prof Khandaker Md Shafayet Ullah, director general of Health Services.
"Bangladesh made a breakthrough in raising awareness about some health issues like vaccination for children. Now attention should be paid to high mortality rate of children and mothers," he said, adding that if public consciousness is raised about the issue then it is possible to lower the mortality rate.
Referring to the importance of communication for dissemination of health knowledge, Prof Abdus Salam, lecturer of Department of Mass Communication of Dhaka University, said, “Communication is the first dose of immunisation."
Dr Moti Uddin Ahmed, director (Admin) of Health Services, Dr Shah Newaj, director (Planning and Research) of Health Services, spoke among others.
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