ZAMBEZI regional governor Lawrence Sampofu has urged the youth in the region to make use of the mobile Namibian Planned Parenthood Association (Nappa) clinic, which aims to bring health services closer to the youth.
He made the remark yesterday in a speech read on his behalf by his special advisor, Ignatius Nkunga, at the official handover of the new mobile clinic to Nappa in the Zambezi region.
The mobile clinic, a van which cost close to N$2 million, was acquired through the Namibia Global Fund programme.
It will provide pupils and the out-of-school youth in the Zambezi region with sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) in order for them to actively take control of their own sexual behaviour.
“I want to start by acknowledging and commending NAPPA’s work in advancing the sexual and reproductive health services of our young people in the country. I should admit that our young people endure immense challenges, especially when it comes to accessing quality youth-friendly reproductive health services. However, with the mobile clinic being handed over to us today, we expect to see some improvements in young people accessing services in this regard.
“I also welcome the idea of NAPPA procuring a mobile clinic for the Zambezi region, as the HIV prevalence rate is noted to be increasing, showing that our young people are continuing to indulge in unprotected sexual activities. Therefore, I call upon young people to utilise the services of the mobile clinic as it will help you to get services right at your doorsteps,” he noted.
He further applauded Nappa for the work they have done in providing 30 000 young people in the Zambezi region with sexual reproductive health services.
“They have trained 150 life skills teachers in comprehensive sex education, as well as capacitated 140 traditional and religious leaders on young people’s reproductive health issues. They furthermore mentored 50 out-of-school youth on sex issues, while 12000 pupils benefited from the extra-curricular education which was conducted in partnership with the ministry of education in the Zambezi region,” he said.
The chairlady of Nappa, Sevelia Kasuto, who also spoke at the event yesterday, said the mobile clinic will not only bring services closer to the youth, but will help ensure that community-based reproductive health agents will not have to walk long distances to provide these crucial services, like they did before.
“Through our consultations with young people, we have discovered that they do not have time to walk long distances to the hospitals and clinics to secure health services. Therefore, as an association charged with responsibilities for the health of young people, we decided to procure the van for this region. This will allow our staff to conduct outreach services in schools and for other youth groups through the mobile clinic,” she stressed.
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