03 Feb 2020

Teenagers in the South East District Health Management Team (DHMT) continue to engage in risky behaviour, which expose them to sexually transmitted infections and pregnancies.

The District Multi Sectoral AIDS Committee (DMSAC) sitting in Ramotswa recently heard that health facilities within the committee’s jurisdiction that covers Ramotswa, Otse, Mogobane, Taung and Metsimaswaane recorded high numbers of young people who were at risk due to their behaviour.

For the period between October and December, facilities recorded 28 teenage pregnancy cases in the South East South Sub-district, three of whom tested positive for HIV. And one of them was already on antiretroviral therapy.

The youngest among the expectant mothers was a 14-year-old from Taung, who was still at junior secondary school. 

Three were aged 16, seven aged 17, the other seven aged 18 and 10 were at nineteen years of age.

 The figures, contained in the district health management committee report, highlighted that the situation put young people at risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections as well as maternal complications. 

The report further emphasised that there were low numbers of youth receiving family planning methods under the youth friendly service.

Among the chief reasons limiting youth from access family planning was stigma, lack of knowledge, lack of transport and inconvenient hours.

The report, therefore, underscored the need for health facilities to integrate and improve youth friendly services at their facilities as well as intensify education on family planning.

 However, for those who accessed the facilities, it was noted that long term family planning methods were popular among young people, which was not helped by shortage of supply for depo injections and jadelle inserts that were said to be out of stock at the Central Medical Stores.

Another problem was that of low condom usage by young people since schools could not get condoms for their school nurses.

The problem contributed to high numbers of sexually transmitted infections among the youth since 154 cases were recorded during the period.

The report stressed the need to intensify health education about condom distribution, sexually transmitted infections and integration of youth friendly services at health facilities. ENDS