SWAKOPMUND: The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) cautioned the judgemental behaviour of some health workers with regards to providing reproductive health services to adolescents, at the commemoration of World Population Day (WPD) here on Wednesday.
The Deputy Minister, Petrina Haingura, said that, the perceived negative attitudes of some health workers are a barrier, as some health workers are reluctant to provide adolescents with reproductive health services such as condoms or contraceptives because they regard them as children.
“Adolescents in Namibia like in many parts of the world are the most vulnerable group in society. In addition, they experience difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive health services which are sometimes perceived to lack confidentiality, offer limited privacy and do not provide individual attention,” she said.
Haingura continued to say, that the provision of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) treatment is often provided in a judgmental and moralistic manner, which discourages repeated utilisation of the service and creates negative publicity of the services among adolescents in the community.
“The parents also needs to play their part in educating adolescents, about reproductive health services available while my ministry continues to make services more ‘friendly’ and appealing to young people for prevention of ill-health. They (young people) are no longer considered passive beneficiaries of service deliveries, but clients and active participants in the policy process,” she added.
The WPD focuses each year its attention on the urgency and importance of population and Reproductive Health, particularly in the context of overall development.
The theme for this year, Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services, was chosen to galvanize commitments towards universal access to reproductive health and recognize those who provide information, services and supplies.
This year’s celebrations, came in the wake after an interest was generated by the ‘Day of 5 Billion’ some 25 years ago, which was celebrated on 11 July 1987. The General Assembly later recommended 11 July to be observed annually as WPD.
Namibia’s representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Fabian Byomuhangi, explained that WPD is always celebrated on 11 June, but could not have been celebrated timely this year given that the MOHSS embarked on a national immunization campaign.
Furthermore, UNFPA also handed over medical supplies valued at N.dollars 98 500 which consisted of 2500 stethoscopes, 50 scissors, 50 thermometers, 300 pens and 50 pouches to MOHSS
(edited)SWAKOPMUND; The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Petrina Haingura says healthcare workers’ judgmental attitude towards adolescents discourages the youngsters from seeking reproductive health services.
Speaking here on Wednesday at the commemoration of World Population Day (WPD), which was this year commemorated under the theme ‘Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services, Haingura said the perceived reluctance of some healthcare workers towards youngsters seeking reproductive health services such as the provision of condoms or contraceptives because they regard them as children, acts as a barrier.
“Adolescents in Namibia, as in many parts of the world, are the most vulnerable group in society. In addition, they experience difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive health services, which are sometimes perceived as lacking confidentiality, offering limited privacy and not providing individual attention,” she noted.
The treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is also often provided in a judgmental and moralistic manner, which discourages the repeated utilisation of the services, and creates negative publicity thereof amongst adolescents in the country.
“The parents also need to play their part in educating adolescents about reproductive health services, while my ministry continues to make services more friendly and appealing to young people for the prevention of ill-health. They are no longer considered passive beneficiaries of service deliveries, but clients and active participants in the policy process,” she added.
Each year, the WPD focuses its attention on the urgency and importance of population and reproductive health, particularly in the context of overall development.
The theme for this year was chosen to galvanise commitments towards universal access to reproductive health, and to recognise those who provide information, services and supplies.
The interest generated by the ‘Day of Five Billion’ on 11 July 1987, the day designated by the United Nations’ Population Fund (UNFPA) as the approximate day on which the world population reached five billion, led to the establishment of World Population Day.
UNFPA representative in Namibia, Fabian Byomuhangi, explained at Wednesday’s event that the day could this year not be commemorated on 11 July because of the Ministry of Health’s national immunisation campaign, which took place at the same time.
The UNFPA also handed over medical supplies valued at N.dollars 98 500 to the ministry during the event. This donation included 2 500 stethoscopes, 50 scissors, 50 thermometers and 300 pens.