Pholosong Hospital reaches out to the youth

Kwatsaduza – Pholosong Hospital launched its Doctors in my Classroom outreach programme at Geluksdal Secondary School last Friday.

This comes after the hospital staff noticed a rise in teenage pregnancies, suicide attempts and mob justice while treating the youth.

The launch took place during Reproductive Health Month, before STI/Condom Week and Teen Suicide Prevention Week commence.

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In a statement, the hospital says they conducted an audit of all pregnant teenagers who delivered at the hospital, the total of which was 744.

“Of major concern was that 66, or 9 per cent, of the girls were under 16 years of age,” the hospital adds.

The hospital treated 53 patients for organophosphate poisoning, 10 of whom were between the ages of 12 and 17.

This was in addition to 80 cases of sjambok injuries resulting from mob justice, where the majority of patients were young people.

The hospital says, “These numbers are a concern to Pholosong and talk to the social ills in the community of Kwatsaduza.”

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They hope that through the Dr in my Classroom programme, where they take young health professionals to schools to have conversations around these issues, will motivate young people to make better decisions about their health and future.

The Dr in my Classroom outreach programme will include visits to 18 schools in Kwatsaduza during the course of 2019.

The organisers will return in 2020 to assess its effectiveness.