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Fight against teen pregnancy, HIV receives a boost

todayApril 13, 2024 130

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Government is upping the ante in its battle to reduce the ever-increasing number of teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted diseases.

According to the Health Department, over the past three years – more than 11 500 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years delivered babies in public health facilities.

While strides have been made in addressing the HIV scourge, the epidemic remains a headache, especially among young black females aged 15 years and older.

“The most pronounced differences in HIV prevalence by sex were seen among younger populations which calls for focused interventions. Compared to males of the same age groups, HIV prevalence was approximately two-fold in females aged 15–19 years (5.6% vs. 3% respectively), and 20–24 years (8% vs. 4% respectively), and three-fold higher in females aged 25–29 (20% vs. 6% respectively),” Professor Khangelani Zuma during the release of last year’s Sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour survey.

The National Health Department has now joined hands with non-profit youth organisation, LoveLife, and launched the country’s first Self-Care Wellness Vending Machine in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape.

This machine will carry a variety of oral contraceptives and HIV prevention measures like HIV self-testing kit, lubricants, condoms, pregnancy test and sanitary towels.

Speaking to Y News, Nobom Ntinganti, a Healthy Lifestyle Programme Coordinator and AYFS trainer at LoveLife, says this initiative will also help end the stigma of being naughty when young people try to get contraceptives at clinics with older nurses sometimes judging them.

“The queues on these vending machines will be of young people and they will have different codes for privacy where no one will know what they are going to get and this eliminates issues like long queues,” she says.

She has urged the youth to take advantage of the machines and use them in their numbers.

“The Department of Health is fully involved, with organisations like TB HIV Care’ Workplace Wellness programme are assisting in purchasing the vending machines and Love Life is assisting in the contact centre.”

Ntinganti says those who need privacy and counselling services can use this number 083 323 1023 and a counsellor will call them back for advice.

There is also a Department of Health’s website called, Be Wise, where you can get accurate information at your fingertips. Written by Tshenolo Khaile

 

 

Written by: Lindiwe Mabena

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