Chandra A. Neglected Sexual Health in India’s Medical Education and Regulation: Time for a Change. Journal of Psychosexual Health. 2021 Oct;3(4):372-4.
An Attractive Neglected Sexual Health in India’s Medical Education and Regulation: Time for a Change
Sexual health is the most neglected part of an individual’s health, as sex is still considered a taboo. There have been several attempts made in the past to educate adolescents, but because of opposition and conflicts, these initiatives never gained momentum. One would at least expect a doctor to be trained in sexual health to address sexual health disorders. However, our medical curriculum neither educates medical graduates regarding sexual health nor offers a postgraduate degree in this field. The prevalence of sexual health disorders is substantial in India. Since there is a dearth of doctors trained in this necessary subject, patients are unaware of where to seek care and land up consulting a quack or untrained personnel. Doing this is detrimental to their sexual health. In addition to this, the sale of sexual health devices which have medical benefits are prohibited, but is still happening under false pretenses without any quality checks. There is a dire need for policymakers to address these issues. By including sexual health in the medical curriculum, competent doctors can be trained to reduce the burden of sexual disorders. It is also time the backward regulations that are being enforced get modified.