The five-day training of 17 Youth
Friendly Health Service (YFHS) Providers which YONECO organized in Liwonde is a
clear manifestation of how eager the organization is to ensure the reduction of
HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) as well as adolescent
pregnancies.
High HIV and STI prevalence rates
among the youth as well as increasing numbers of adolescent pregnancies that
are registered every year are a cause for concern in Malawi.
Despite this being the case, several
studies have proved that the uptake of SRH services among young people in
Malawi is very low. This is also in spite of the fact that several YFHS Corners
have been established in various public health centres in the country - why is
the uptake low? Studies on this question have indicated that there are a number
of contributing factors which include negative attitudes of health workers
towards young people who go to health centres for SRH.
This is why YONECO and the
National AIDS Commission (NAC) thought it necessary to direct their efforts
towards training health workers in the provision of YFHS. The overall aim is to
reduce the spread of HIV and STI infections as well as dealing with the problem
of adolescent pregnancies.
Thus, to
reach this goal, there is need to ensure that young people’s sexual and
reproductive health needs are met.
Thus, after the training, the participants
avowed their commitment towards the improvement of sexual reproductive health
service provision to young people.
