Idoko, who spoke at the public presentation of the “African Journal of Reproductive Health” in Lagos last Thursday, said adolescents were more predisposed to infections as they were more
likely to be sexually active without any guidance or information.
He said, “Adolescents are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDs infection because they are moving into a stage when they become sexually active and our cultural settings make it difficult for us to educate them on safe practices. Girls are mainly at risk because they are more likely to have sexual relations with people who are older than them and are therefore more at risk of contacting HIV.”
Idoko said social-cultural beliefs in the country encouraged adolescents and teenagers to have multiple sex partners, hide their sexual orientation which were risk factors for sexually-transmitted diseases, hence the need to increase sex education for this age group.
He noted that the incorporation of reproductive education into the curricula of universities and secondary schools would ensure that youths were armed with information that could help them make the right decisions.
Idoko said, “Reproductive health education is important for youths. But here it is believed that if you expose young people to such education they become more promiscuous but no study has supported this belief. In fact, the reverse is the case, rates of infections drop when you educate youths because they protect themselves and seek attention and advice early.”
Also, the Journal Editor, the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre, Prof. Friday Okonofua, said poverty and poor sexual reproductive health facilities had also increased the number of adolescents and women living with the virus.
He said, “A woman with economic challenges is more likely to yield to being a commercial sex worker or engage in sex with multiple partners but with information, she could change her behaviour if she knows she could contact HIV/AIDs through such practices.”
Okonofua said the journal was established to create awareness on the need for the inclusion of reproductive health education for youths, adults and medical professionals in the country
“Sexual reproductive health is not a topic of discourse in Nigeria. In fact, I was not taught as a medical student. Experts are not even conversant about the issue. There is no text book on reproductive education in Africa that is why a journal was produced to fill the gap and raise awareness,” he said.
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