Expenditure on public health needs to be scaled up

Bangalore, Sept 15(UNI) The State is spending as much as four per cent of the state GDP for the public health which needs to be scale further, Karnataka Health Minister R Ashok informed here today.

Inaugurating the three-day 22nd National Conference of Sexology, organised by the Council of Sex Education and Parenthood International, (CSEPI) here today, the minister said that the amount spent at the global level on public health was at six per cent and there was a need to match it in the state also.

Referring about 'Sexual Health in the 21st Century", which is the theme of the conference, the minister said that talking and discussing about 'Sex' in public was still a taboo in the society and felt that it should be removed.

Mr Ashok said there was a need for pro-active action to create awareness about sexual health and the practice of safe sex though the state government was taking several steps to contain the spread of HIV.

The minister said that the dreaded disease HIV and AIDS was fast spreading in the country largely due to a lack of awareness about the sexual health and its related issues.

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