03 Sep 2020

Greater Francistown District Health Management Team (DHMT) has applauded men for participating in healthcare outreach campaign.

Sexual and reproductive health coordinator, Ms Pona Setshego, said the ongoing primary healthcare outreach campaign saw an impressive number of men seeking health amenities.

Speaking at during an outreach programme activity in Francistown on Wednesday, Ms Setshego applauded men for taking a positive move towards their health.

“Unlike at health facilities like clinic, where women dominated, outreach campaigns saw an impressive number of males turning up for among others HIV testing and sexual transmitted infections (STIs) screening,” she said.

Ms Setshego said the observation prompted the DHMT and the District AIDS Coordinator (DAC) office to engage more in community outreach activities as a way of engaging more men.

“They are our key target as their involvement on issues relating to combating challenges such as HIV and AIDS were lagging and therefore, it appears like outreach campaigns were working in our favour,” said Ms Setshego.

In addition, Ms Setshego said the outreach campaign was aimed at improving access of health services by the community as well as addressing congestion at health facilities.

 “We choose certain locations, do house to house targeting households with more than two people,” she said, adding those who were engaged during such campaigns were offered, among other services HIV testing, family planning education and screening for STIs as well as being supplied with condoms.

Ms Setshego said the DHMT, DAC and other stakeholders in the health system joined forces to engage members of the public health care campaigns.

Ms Setshego said the annual plan of activities for the DAC office was guarded by the evidence gathered from the community through outreach programmes, among other things.

She emphasised that her office was not only concerned on engaging the community on issues relating to HIV and AIDS.

“We are also proactive on issues regarding the fight against the COVID -19 pandemic,” she said.

However, Ms Setshego said the pandemic would not derail health officials in driving their mandate of affording the community the necessary health services.

She urged the community to fully partake in outreach campaigns to promote good health. Ends