Outreach clinics key to youth pregnancy reduction
The event also featured a football match between Phapa Football Club and Tilora Young Stars.
Karonga, Malawi - Traditional leaders in the area of Traditional Authority Wasambo in Karonga have highlighted the importance of outreach clinics in their region, emphasizing their role in reducing unplanned pregnancies among youths, writes Emmanuel Moyo.
This sentiment was expressed during an outreach clinic conducted by the Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization at Tilora Primary School in the area, where Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services were offered free of charge.
Group Village Head Kamtenthenga, representing Traditional Authority Wasambo, served as the Guest of Honour during the event and underscored the relevance of the outreach clinic in addressing the issue of unplanned pregnancies among young people in the area.
He mentioned that data indicated a high prevalence of unplanned pregnancies, often leading to early marriages.
"This outreach clinic is very relevant in our area, and it is a tool and key in ending cases of early marriages caused by unplanned pregnancies amongst youths because data shows that cases of unplanned pregnancies are very common in this area," he stated.
Group Village Head Kamtenthenga called upon other chiefs to encourage young people to consider family planning methods offered during outreach clinics and suggested the formulation of bylaws to help reduce cases of unplanned pregnancies.
Gracious Wasambo, Chairperson for Tilora Youth Club, expressed gratitude for the initiative, stating that it had brought sexual reproductive health services closer to community members who had been in great need of them.
"We are very thankful today because this clinic has enabled most of us youths to access family planning methods that have been far from us. With this, the number of unplanned pregnancies will reduce, and we will be able to achieve our goals without being disturbed by unplanned pregnancies," she said.
Gomezgani Mhango, Programs Manager for the organization, emphasized the importance of ensuring that community members can easily access sexual and reproductive health services.
She highlighted that many individuals residing far from health centres often face financial challenges when seeking SRH services.
Mhango called on parents to encourage their children to utilize these outreach clinics to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancies and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
During the clinic, health personnel administered various family planning methods provided HIV testing and counselling and organized traditional dances and dramas addressing SRH issues.
The event also featured a football match between Phapa Football Club and Tilora Young Stars.
The outreach clinic was conducted through the organization's Wanangwa Wane project, which is being implemented in Traditional Authority Wasambo in Karonga and Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa.
The project receives funding from the Breuckmann Foundation and the German Government's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.