KARACHI, March 8: Change in the attitude of society and families is needed to enable youth to play their role in making decisions about health, education and career goals.

Moreover, political commitment is needed for a change in the status of youth in Pakistan, as there is no single national policy for people in the age group of 10 to 24 years, who constitute about 42 per cent of total country’s population.

It was observed in an awareness programme held at the Sobhraj Maternity Hospital, in collaboration with an NGO, Pavnah.

The objective of the awareness programme is to develop modern counselling skills among medical professionals, to discourage the growing role played by quakes and certain spiritual healers who mint money from innocent youths undergoing natural physical and psychological changes.

The MS of Sobhraj, Dr Shabeen dispelled the impression that imparting necessary information regarding reproductive health to youths means teaching sexual matters to them only and said it involves counselling and interaction with youth to cater physical and psychological needs occurring in that age.

Dr Shabeen Naz criticized certain taboos prevailing in our society that add to health problems of girls and women, especially during pregnancies and menopause.

Most common of these misconceptions are avoiding bath or having low protein diet during periods, besides the girls are discouraged to do physical exercise that is required for the body, she added.

Dr Jabeen of Pavnah expressed disappointment that youth between the age group of 10 and 24 years contribute to about 42 per cent of our population, but there is no national policy for them, whereas we have health policies for infants, small children and for adults.

She called for a national policy regarding counselling of youths in schools, colleges and in hospitals for imparting the required knowledge to a maximum number of general public.

She said that adolescents suffer discrimination in terms of both resource allocation and decision-making about issues that concern them and this age group is generally unaware of reproductive health rights, general health rights and other psychological issues that are usually set aside as attitude problem of the individual.

Participants of the awareness programme discussed physical, psychological, social and economic needs of humans throughout the life-cycle starting from birth and following up to old age.

It was observed while sexual orientation and other physical and psychological behaviours develop, the youth are the most potential target of drug abuse, STD and AIDS.

The programme was informed that adolescents falling in 10 to 19 years of age are most important segment of our society that needs special attention and counselling as young boys and girls are regularly facing physical developments in their bodies that has serious psychological effects also.

Dr Jabeen said due to lack of awareness, a majority of boys and girls, accept the body changes with bitter and embarrassing experiences.—PPI