Forderville Clinic launches youth friendly services
"We deliver services to the youth in a friendly way because as the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department we are investing in young people who are the custodians of the province"
Accessing health services may not be a simple task for the youth. They may be met with difficult, awkward questions or sometimes scorned on but these challenges are being met head-on by the Health Department in their Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services (AYFS) programme.
This programme, which caters specifically for the medical needs of adolescents, was launched by the Forderville Clinic last Wednesday. The Forderville Hall was packed to capacity, with learners from local secondary and primary schools, community stakeholders and Health Department officials.
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Several speakers told the audience what AYFS is. Medical services that are offered to youth at clinics that are AYFS approved include antenatal and post natal care, sexual reproductive health, HIV counseling, testing and treatment among many others. The emphasis is to provide these services in a friendly and comfortable environment. Messages of support came from stakeholders that included Ward 10 councillor Edith Lite, Project Life Manageress Desiree Govender and Health Department representatives.
Words of encouragement were passed on to the Forderville Clinic staff in their endeavours to make the AYFS launch a success.
Guest speaker from the District Health office in Ladysmith Mkonto Blose praised the efforts of clinic staff to make sure youth have access to friendly services.
“Why are we targeting the youth?” asked Mr Blose. “According to research,” he explained, “one in every five girls below 12-years-old are assaulted every month, three in five young adults are abusing substances, 23 percent of youth aged between 15-19 are HIV positive and half of the youth by the age of 17 admit to risky sexual behaviour,” he continued.
He added that South Africa was the global leader in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections are on the increase.
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“This is why we need to ensure that we deliver services to the youth in a friendly way because as the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department we are investing in young people who are the custodians of the province,” said Mr Blose.
He concluded by asking the young learners what the seven B’s to prevent teenage pregnancy were. The learners were knowledgeable and shouted out: ‘Books Before Boys Because Boys Bring Babies!’
SEE THIS: WATCH: Youth participation ensures success at AYFS launch at Forderville Clinic
Apart from the speeches, the programme was peppered with entertainment, which included dances, poems and songs from school choirs. The AYFS launch concluded with lunch.
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