LUDHIANA,

A two-day “National Seminar on Reproductive Health Advances for Adolescents (RHA 2017)” concluded at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). The Department of Zoology, PAU, had organized the seminar under the aegis of Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and Fertility (ISSRF), Jaipur. About 350 students from various schools and colleges of Ludhiana participated in this event.

The chief guest of the valedictory session, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, advised the students to imbibe the values of education and virtues of life like patience, self-esteem, respect for laws, and to be aware and conversant of their health issues as well as of other social problems. Sharing his own experience of life, he exhorted the students to also imbibe the boons of cultural fabric, not to play with their future and make judicious choices while browsing and using internet sources.

Dr N.K. Lohiya, President, ISSRF, while delivering his presidential address, acknowledged the team effort. Later, he felicitated the Organizing Chairman and Organizing Secretary, Dr S.S. Hundal and Dr K.S. Khera, respectively.

Dr G.K. Sangha, Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, and Patron of the Organizing Committee, also graced the valedictory session and appreciated the efforts of the organizers in conducting this seminar.

On the second day, a total of nine lectures were delivered. Dr Radhey Shyam Sharma from University of Delhi explained how the quality of our environment was deteriorating. He stressed on conserving it for maintenance of good reproductive health.

Dr R.S. Sharma from ICMR, New Delhi, dwelt on negative impact of radiations emitted from cell phones and towers, and methods to prevent them.

Dr Kiran Bains from PAU told about proper nutrition to be taken by adolescents while Dr Venus Bansal from SPS Hospital, Ludhiana, delivered a talk on gynaecological disorders.

Dr J.S. Bedi from GADVASU informed about various reproduction related diseases transmitted through pets and other domestic animals.

Dr Sunita Kuntal from SMS Medical College, Jaipur, explained the use of various contraceptive to avoid pregnancy while Dr Sunil Gupta from Department of Dermatology, DMC, Ludhiana, made the students aware of HIV-AIDS and its prevention.

There were total four technical sessions in which 16 lectures were delivered by eminent clinicians, professionals and researchers involved in basic and applied aspects of human anatomy, physiology, toxicology, biomedicine and reproductive biology. A participatory theatre event was also presented by the students under the guidance of Dr Akhilesh Yadav from University of Delhi. A poster competition was held on various themes related to reproductive health. As many as 53 posters were displayed. Komal Preet Kaur, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, PAU; Shagun Gill, HJS College of Dental Sciences, Chandigarh; Gurpreet Kaur, Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana and Vibhu Vaid, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, PAU; bagged first, second, third and fourth prize, respectively. Ambika Goyal, Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana, won an appreciation prize.