14 Jul 2022

Selebi Phikwe District Health Management Team’s (DHMT) campaign to offer people services in the comfort of their homes is off to a good start.

 The campaign, which started Monday at the town’s Distance location, offers screening and testing for communicable and non-communicable diseases, particularly for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), hypertension, diabetes and Tuberculosis.

 Other services include  Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), safer sex education, condom distribution and child welfare.

Speaking in interview, the campaign coordinator Ms Caroline Setshego commended residents for welcoming the team.

“We are really impressed by the response from the community so far, they are cooperating well with our team and have made this exercise easier than we thought,” she said.

Ms Setshego said the campaign  was prompted by a rise in STIs, especially among the youth,  during the period April-June hence the targetting of the 15-35 age group.

A decline in condom uptake and HIV testing had  also been observed, she said.

 Ms Setshego said findings so far had shown lack of information on HIV/AIDS and other STIs adding that there was therefore need for intensification of HIV/AIDS education and condom use.

“We want the community to take responsibility for their health by using condoms at all times,” said.

She said if people could not access free condoms availed at health facilities, they should buy them rather than putting their lives at risk.

Currently conducted at Distance area, she said the exercise would also help the DHMT on its mission to eliminate HIV/AIDS, Syphilis and Hepatitis B.

Regarding those who tested positive for HIV, she said they were transported to health facilities for counselling and subesequent enrollment in the  ARV programme.

Those at  high risk of contracting the virus such as sex workers were recommended for PrEP, she said.

 Ms Setshego explained that the exercise was being undertaken  in partnership with stakeholders such as Selebi Phikwe Police’s Gender Based Violence (GBV) office to extend education on GBV and defilement.

She said DHMT engaged the police following the realisation that teenage pregnancy cases were high in the locality.

“We are offering integrated services and working with various organisations including Home Based Care and Ward Development Committees to support this community exercise,” he said.

Held under the theme, Buckle Up, the campaign winds up in  Distance location today and moves on to other areas. 

 She appealed to community members to welcome the campaign team into their homes for assessment and management.BOPA