29 Mar 2023

 Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe has confirmed availability of a Youth Friendly Services (YFS) clinic in the North East district. Answering a question in Parliament recently, Mr Lelatisitswe said the clinic was established in Mulambakwena village in 2001.

He said a youth friendly services trained nurse was thereafter assigned to the clinic and was however later transferred to Kasane which resulted in disruption of services. “Although there is a noticeable gap in catering for the non-school going youth, collaborative efforts between the ministry and that of Education and Skills Development resulted in a youth friendly services nurse being assigned to Masunga Senior Secondary School to attend to the in-school as well as the general school community,” he added.

The assistant minister further said efforts are ongoing to re-establish youth friendly services within the district, adding the ministry was currently working on assessing the district’s training needs for training of providers as well as assistance to establish youth friendly services centres for the North East District Health Management Team. Tati West MP, Mr Simon Moabi had wanted to know why there was no youth friendly clinic in North East District given that most youth were not comfortable with the current facilities and being assisted by elders. Mr Moabi had also wanted to know if there were any plans to set up such a facility and when it would be established. ENDS