Youngsters urged to seek healthcare services at clinics
The adolescent and youth-friendly services are tailored to address the barriers the youth faces in accessing high-quality health services, including sexual and reproductive health services.
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) encourages young people to commemorate Youth Month by proactively attending to their health and seeking Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Services (AYFS) at the city’s healthcare facilities.
The adolescent and youth-friendly services are tailored to address the barriers the youth faces in accessing high-quality health services, including sexual and reproductive health services.
The AYFS is designed to promote the health and well-being of young people aged between 10 and 35.
“The youth is our future, and we encourage young people to take advantage of this commemorative month and be proactive about their health by taking steps to achieve personal wellness,” said the city’s spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
All primary healthcare facilities have a dedicated professional nurse, referred to as an AYFS champion, trained to provide primary healthcare services to young people while ensuring a seamless, confidential, and friendly experience.
The AYFS package includes:
• Drug and substance abuse
• HIV/Aids, TB prevention and TB treatment; including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)
• Nutrition and physical exercises
• Mental health/illness services, which include psychotherapy and counselling
• Sexual and reproductive health
• GBV empowerment services
• Violence prevention
• Choice on termination of pregnancy
• Acute and chronic disease management
• Family planning methods, including long-acting reversible contraception methods.
In light of the CoE urging youngsters to seek healthcare services, the Boksburg Advertiser spoke to the a health promoter at Boksburg North Clinic, Agnes Malunga.
Malunga said they have not seen an increase in youngsters visiting the clinic this Youth Month.
“The youth mostly come to the clinic for family planning. We have also seen that substance abuse and teenage pregnancies are rife among the youngsters,” she said.
Unity Mashishi (30) said she visits the clinic once a month for family planning.
“Though I have to wait in a long queue at times, I am grateful for the services the clinic offers,” said Mashisi.
Another young patient, Nothile Thusi (25), said she goes to the clinic every six months to get her chronic medication.
“It helps us a lot,” she said.
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