Wednesday 07/11/12
Selamat Malam!!!
Today was interesting to say the least. Not only was it our last day of lectures, but we also visited an organization I researched for a presentation in the U.S. prior to coming on this trip. Needless to say I was excited about meeting them. But after factoring everything else I have been learning here in Malaysia, I checked my excitement to prepare for disappointment. Sexual health and open advocacy is taboo here and even Asia for that matter, but I will praise all the hard work done through their trials and tribulations. I cannot project my own cultural biases here, for it is not fair.
On that note, the itinerary:
10am
- Visit to Family Planning Association (FPA)
12pm
- Lunch [Own Arrangement]
Afternoon
- Was free and easy until a few things were shuffled around
- Visit to Vector Control Research Unit (VCRU)
Penang Family Health Development Association (FHDA) “My Body,My Responsibilities”:
- They have changed their name since I last researched them back in the U.S.
- There are a few strategies that they follow to promote healthy lifestyles: Access for women’s development; HIV-AIDS; Adolescents; Advocay; & Abortion.
- They push for equity to the best of their ability including employing health community workers for disadvantage populations
- HIV testing is COMPULSORY and CONFIDENTIALITY is severely lacking
- There are a few youth programs: crime and sexual health (with parental consent)
- If you are caught with condoms, you can be charged with being a sex worker
- Basically, if you are not married then you should not be involved with family planning
- No underage testing is allowed without parental consent and attendance even in clinics, etc.
- They do a great job of teaching sex workers without a voice to sneak condoms on with their mouths when clients refuse to wear them.
The work that FHDA is really good. I just wished that the government would give them some slack so they can truly make the impact on the community that they are aiming for. It is difficult to make any change within a willing community when those in control will not allow you to.
Vector Control:
- We heard the lecture for vector control when we visited biological sciences.
- We explored the labs and looked at all the cool bugs.
- We then learned how the undergraduate students learned about their environment and what could become vectors (such as mosquitoes).
Krystal
Here are a few snaps
