28 Jun 2018

Young people in the Mahalapye Sub- district have been applauded for utilising youth friendly clinic services in their areas.

Mahalapye and Sefhare clinics receive an average of 450 young people per month, Mahalapye Hospital public relations officer, Ms Pauline Bontle said.

Responding to a BOPA questionnaire, Ms Bontle said information generated through feedback questionnaire indicated a positive response from the youth on services provided, which are designed mostly for 10 to 29 year-olds.

Ms Bontle said youth friendly clinics were designed to serve the youth mainly with education on sexual and reproductive health.

“The clinics comprise of two nurses capacitated to address and deal with young people in a more friendly way that will influence easy interaction and flow of information,” she said.

In an effort to improve strategies on how to reach out to the youth, Ms Bontle said the Ministry of Health and Wellness has created a Facebook page called TEENWYZE, which offers the youth a platform to get information and make appointments with health professionals.

“We also have a Facebook page called Mahalapye Hospital Youth Friendly Clinic, which regularly updates on health related issues affecting the youth,” she said.

She said the facility also provices the youth with health services such as family planning, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, HIV counselling and testing as well as information on gender based violence.

She added that the move to establish youth friendly service clinics was hatched after realising that young people were not accessing health services with ease at general public health facilities due to unfriendly environment.  

Ms Bontle said youth were faced with sensitive challenges which needed to be addressed accordingly.

There were also concerns of school dropouts due to pregnancy and illegal and unsafe abortions.

She said lifelong health habits can be established during adolescence and therefore education offered at youth friendly clinics help assist young people in decision- making, taking responsibilities for their actions and often prevent serious negative health consequences on their part. ENDS