NThC Joins Batanes PHO and Provincial Government in Giving a Symposium on Reproductive Health for High School Students

Due to the increasing number of teen pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), the provincial government thought of increasing awareness of the high school students on matters of sexuality. The target audience were junior and senior students of the Batanes National Science High School. This measure also aims to arm the students leaving for college with the proper attitude and knowledge to keep themselves safe from sexually transmitted infections and pregnancies.

The National Telehealth Center field operations coordinator, Dr. HR Aujero joined Dr. Alethea de Guzman of the PHO, Mr. Jong Valientes, provincial administrator, and DOH representatives Ma. Leticia Bayaras, RN and Cristeta Afrondoso, RN on the morning of March 18, 2008 at the BNSHS. The topics covered were: Fertility, Human Sexuality, Myths and Facts, and Sexually Transmitted Infections. Also present at the event was Dr. Elaine Aguto (UPCM INTARMED 2006) an Ivatan herself and graduate of the Ivana National High School.

Forty-one students attended, mostly (38) girls. Majority of the students learn about sex from books and magazines followed by the internet. The symposium cum workshop came at the right time as a lot of them will be leaving for the mainland for college and that their knowledge about contraception is limited. Only 12 or 29% say they are aware of contraception. Furthermore all of the students say that they do not discuss sex with their parents. Forty of the students say they never had sex, only one did not indicate whether he/she ever did it. Other risky practices like smoking (3 do smoke), alcohol use (6), and illegal substance use (0) were quite unpopular for the students. At the end of the session, the students were shown how to properly use a condom.