Dear Editor,

There was a video that went viral recently of Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton in the streets interviewing people about self-pleasure. Dr Tufton laughed at some of the responses, which reminded us he is not a medical doctor but a business major with an advanced degree. Many wondered how a minister with such an overwhelming portfolio could find time to be in the streets discussing masturbation.

The local health sector is in crisis, confronted by critical issues such as lack of space, technology, equipment, supplies, and shortage of doctors and nurses. Dr Tufton would’ve scored major points, in my view, if he opted to interview people waiting 24 hours to receive treatment at hospitals and the doctors and nurses doing their best to provide care with very limited resources.

Since the video, Dr Tufton followed up with a column in the Jamaica Observer titled
Home Alone, which also focused on the topic of masturbation. Tufton said nothing new in the column, everyone knows that self-pleasure is part of life, a private and personal indulgence behind closed doors.

I’m not sure why Dr Tufton thought it prudent to provide a public lecture on the topic. I would’ve preferred if he used the space to address the current state of the health sector and share plans and strategies in the works to address these critical issues. The focus on self-pleasure will not increase social media likes or favourability ratings. People want better health care, no one cares about personal preferences, including colour of sex toys.

We know that Government ministers can afford to fly out in a jiffy when they have medical needs, unlike the majority of Jamaicans who must endure the inadequacies of the health-care system.

There are also issues related to health insurance. Most Jamaicans don’t have access to insurance due to high costs and extreme difficulty getting it, especially if there are pre-existing health conditions, even minor. I’ve known young people who were denied private coverage for very basic reasons, and many self-employed individuals and those working in small- to medium-size organisations do not have insurance coverage to support basic health-care needs. These are the issues which should concern Dr Tufton, not self-pleasure techniques or options.

Masturbation is not the reason for the declining birth rate as Dr Tufton suggested in those street interviews. The decline in birth rate is a global trend affecting most countries. More than 70 per cent of the world’s population live in countries experiencing lower rates, including USA, Canada, UK, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and parts of Europe.

The decline is primarily caused by economics (increase in costs to raise families), greater access to birth control, as well as online and digital distraction. There is also a cultural and generational shift, whereby individuals, especially those age 20-30, are prioritising careers and delaying the start of new families and/or limiting the size of their families. The decline in teen pregnancy rates are also a factor, due to greater awareness and education.

We must accept that the decline in birth rate is not necessarily a bad thing if we plan accordingly. So let us not try to distract attention from the real issues facing us, many of which are critical and require urgent action.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com