Premarital medical test needed for healthy conjugal life
Shilpi Rani Roy | Tuesday, 19 August 2008
NOTHING worse can happen to Rahmat Alii and his wife Laila Perveen. Rahmat is suffering from liver cirrhosis while Laila from Hepatitis B. Rahmat passes his time waiting to meet the angel of death on a hospital bed in Old Dhaka. Laila too spends her time bedside her husband thinking about their gloomy future.
The ill-fated couple has given up all the hopes when doctors advised them not to take any baby.
According to their doctors, they could have averted this terrible consequence had Rahmat underdone medical test before their marriage to detect whether he was carrying any contagious disease.
Laila's mother says her daughter was married off with Rahmat, an expatriate, barely two years ago. As distant relatives, they knew each other. Therefore, there was no query before the marriage.
A few days after their marriage, Rahmat was down with fever and he gradually started showing some more symptoms like headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and vomiting. Laila's mother-in-law, an old-fashioned woman, started giving Laila a hard time because of Rahmat's illness. She was pretty sure Laila is influenced by demon. The family is in real trouble.
Rahmat confesses that during his stay in Dubai he got affected by Hepatitis B virus. And its ultimate consequence is liver cirrhosis or cancer. He was aware of the disease before the marriage. He kept it secret fearing that the other side could stop the marriage.
Laila's sister-in-law says, "The marriage took place quickly due to pressure from their side. I can't realise how they could do that knowingly. Laila would not have to face this fate had Rahmat disclosed the fact before their marriage."
In Bangladesh, most marriages are settled by the families of brides and grooms, and emphasis is given mainly on family status, beauty and profession. In most cases, physical problem is concealed by the families.
According to World Health Organization (WTO), about five per cent of Bangladesh's total population is long-term carriers of Hepatitis B virus. Of them, 20 per cent may die of liver cancer and cirrhosis. In practice, Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than AIDS and it causes more deaths than AIDS.
Let's see what happened to Nitu Islam (not her real name), a student of Political Science at Dhaka University. She married her classmate after a long affair. A few days after the marriage, Nitu was tested Hepatitis C positive.
Nitu's in-laws always give her hard time for bearing the virus and try to keep her husband away from Nitu. "Had I undergone medical test before the marriage, I wouldn't have got married. Now I suffer from a sense of guilty feeling. I always remain sacred of the fact that my husband might be affected with this deadly disease," says Nitu.
According to doctors, both bride and groom should undergo medical test before marriage to be sure whether,they are carrying any communicable disease or not.
The WTO Report 2004 says there are about 4.0 million (40 lakh) people in Bangladesh who are affected with Hepatitis B virus.
Dr Mahbub Alam, a specialist of medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), says people need to be aware about various communicable diseases, including Hepatitis B and C, AIDS, Syphilis and Gonorrhea. He apprehends that Hepatitis B and C may break out in an epidemic form in Bangladesh for lack of awareness of the people.
Another doctor, Abdur Rahman, of the same hospital, says, "In most cases marriage means union of two unknown individuals. The couple needs to know each other before marriage. And as part of that process, both the possible bride and groom should undergo medical test. Concealment of health problems may lead to many physical problems, divorce and transmission of diseases to their future kids."
The WHO emphasizes safe sex in order to prevent STDs. "Find a faithful partner to remain healthy," it says.
Dr Shafiqul Alain, a liver and medicine specialist, says, "Most people in Bangladesh don't even know what STD is. For enjoying a health life, everyone will have to know how STDs spread. Besides, every citizen needs to have health card to easily identify patients."
According to a Dhaka University Psychology professor, premarital medical tests are very essential for ensuring a safe and healthy life. Besides, the would-be husband and wife should know each other's physical and mental health. The issue of STDs should be included in textbooks too.
Rabbi Alam, a human rights activist, says, "The number of conscious people in our country is very negligible for lack of education and poverty. Premarital medical tests are good for both the possible bride and groom. And it's also a moral right for both."
Reazul Islam Azad, a lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, says, "There is no law in the country to deal with STDs and other communicable diseases. It's one type of crime to get married hiding the facts of contagious diseases. In this case, the cheated person can file a case for concealing information. Besides, proper enforcement of Safe Blood Transfusion Act is also very important."
Specialist doctors say everyone should also know how to prevent STDs. These are personal hygiene, refraining from illicit sexual relationships, using disposable syringes and ensuring the use of germ-free equipment while undergoing dental treatment and taking vaccines at right time.
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The ill-fated couple has given up all the hopes when doctors advised them not to take any baby.
According to their doctors, they could have averted this terrible consequence had Rahmat underdone medical test before their marriage to detect whether he was carrying any contagious disease.
Laila's mother says her daughter was married off with Rahmat, an expatriate, barely two years ago. As distant relatives, they knew each other. Therefore, there was no query before the marriage.
A few days after their marriage, Rahmat was down with fever and he gradually started showing some more symptoms like headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and vomiting. Laila's mother-in-law, an old-fashioned woman, started giving Laila a hard time because of Rahmat's illness. She was pretty sure Laila is influenced by demon. The family is in real trouble.
Rahmat confesses that during his stay in Dubai he got affected by Hepatitis B virus. And its ultimate consequence is liver cirrhosis or cancer. He was aware of the disease before the marriage. He kept it secret fearing that the other side could stop the marriage.
Laila's sister-in-law says, "The marriage took place quickly due to pressure from their side. I can't realise how they could do that knowingly. Laila would not have to face this fate had Rahmat disclosed the fact before their marriage."
In Bangladesh, most marriages are settled by the families of brides and grooms, and emphasis is given mainly on family status, beauty and profession. In most cases, physical problem is concealed by the families.
According to World Health Organization (WTO), about five per cent of Bangladesh's total population is long-term carriers of Hepatitis B virus. Of them, 20 per cent may die of liver cancer and cirrhosis. In practice, Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than AIDS and it causes more deaths than AIDS.
Let's see what happened to Nitu Islam (not her real name), a student of Political Science at Dhaka University. She married her classmate after a long affair. A few days after the marriage, Nitu was tested Hepatitis C positive.
Nitu's in-laws always give her hard time for bearing the virus and try to keep her husband away from Nitu. "Had I undergone medical test before the marriage, I wouldn't have got married. Now I suffer from a sense of guilty feeling. I always remain sacred of the fact that my husband might be affected with this deadly disease," says Nitu.
According to doctors, both bride and groom should undergo medical test before marriage to be sure whether,they are carrying any communicable disease or not.
The WTO Report 2004 says there are about 4.0 million (40 lakh) people in Bangladesh who are affected with Hepatitis B virus.
Dr Mahbub Alam, a specialist of medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), says people need to be aware about various communicable diseases, including Hepatitis B and C, AIDS, Syphilis and Gonorrhea. He apprehends that Hepatitis B and C may break out in an epidemic form in Bangladesh for lack of awareness of the people.
Another doctor, Abdur Rahman, of the same hospital, says, "In most cases marriage means union of two unknown individuals. The couple needs to know each other before marriage. And as part of that process, both the possible bride and groom should undergo medical test. Concealment of health problems may lead to many physical problems, divorce and transmission of diseases to their future kids."
The WHO emphasizes safe sex in order to prevent STDs. "Find a faithful partner to remain healthy," it says.
Dr Shafiqul Alain, a liver and medicine specialist, says, "Most people in Bangladesh don't even know what STD is. For enjoying a health life, everyone will have to know how STDs spread. Besides, every citizen needs to have health card to easily identify patients."
According to a Dhaka University Psychology professor, premarital medical tests are very essential for ensuring a safe and healthy life. Besides, the would-be husband and wife should know each other's physical and mental health. The issue of STDs should be included in textbooks too.
Rabbi Alam, a human rights activist, says, "The number of conscious people in our country is very negligible for lack of education and poverty. Premarital medical tests are good for both the possible bride and groom. And it's also a moral right for both."
Reazul Islam Azad, a lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, says, "There is no law in the country to deal with STDs and other communicable diseases. It's one type of crime to get married hiding the facts of contagious diseases. In this case, the cheated person can file a case for concealing information. Besides, proper enforcement of Safe Blood Transfusion Act is also very important."
Specialist doctors say everyone should also know how to prevent STDs. These are personal hygiene, refraining from illicit sexual relationships, using disposable syringes and ensuring the use of germ-free equipment while undergoing dental treatment and taking vaccines at right time.
NewsNetwork