Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights for Youth and Adolescents
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THE IssueHealth 08 June 2016 Digest Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights for Youth and Adolescents Youth-friendly corners boost uptake of sexual and reproductive health services End Forced Sterilization of Women Living with HIV Writing Women’s Reproductive Health: A Uganda Study Inside This Issue 1. Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... Page 1 2. Message from the Editor .......................................................................................................... Page 2 3. Message from the Managing Editor ............................................................................................ Page 3 4. Youth-friendly corners boost uptake of sexual and reproductive health services .......... Page 4 5. End forced sterilization of women living with HIV ................................................................ Page 8 6. HIV positive teenagers grapple with stigma in boarding schools ..................................... Page 10 7. Is the vaginal ring the future .......................................................................................................... Page 12 8. Time to act is now ........................................................................................................................ Page 14 9. Young males in Kampala shun sexual and reproductive services ..................................... Page 16 10. Policy guideines on sexual and reproductive health are not helping ..................................... Page 18 11. Is delivering quality adolescent services and rights in Uganda Myth or Truth? .................... Page 21 12. E-Coupon redemption for sexual and reproductive health services ......................................... Page 24 13. Uganda to benefit from 30m Euro maternal health project ................................................... Page 25 14. Issues to consider in adolescence HIV research ................................................................ Page 26 15. Retracing family planning commitments using technology ..................................................... Page 28 16. First choice family planning methods missing ................................................................. Page 29 17. Trained clinical officers increase access to surgical contraceptive services ....................... Page 31 18. Writting women’s reproductive health: A Uganda study .................................................... Page 32 19. A personal experience ....................................................................................................................... Page 36 To buy this copy at Our advertising rates are as below (inclusive of 18% VAT); SHS 7,000 or US$ 3, Size Call: 0704 292188 Full page 3,600,000 0712 685837 Half page 1,800,000 0703 826623 Quarter page 900,000 For advertising, contact Bagenda Elliot on 256 712 685837 Editor’s Message Dear readers, Of Uganda’s 36 million people, about a third are young people (10- 24 years). They carry the highest challenges concerning Sexual Re- productive Health (SRH). It is prudent for all of us to team up and offer solutions to their challenges. This issue of the Health Digest focuses on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for adolescents and the youth. The articles here present a portrait of health facilities that offer youth-friendly services, how they do it, and how much youth enjoy or hate them. There is no doubt that the Uganda Government through the Minis- try of health is trying to enhance access to SRH services to young people. The problem, in part, is that there is limited funding for the Editorial Team model that the youth prefer to what the Government can afford. We have a map compiled by Reach A Hand, one of the organisations Managing Editor that work in this space, that shows where these youth friendly ser- Esther Nakkazi vices are available. There is also good news. Women may finally have a self-initiated Editor: HIV prevention product. Uganda alongside other countries partici- Edris Kisambira pated in two large phase III trials that have shown promise of pro- tecting women from HIV infection by 27-31 percent. Senior Consulting Editor: Christopher Conte Unfortunately, the young women who participated in the study didn’t use it. And in more disturbing news, women living with HIV are be- ing sterilized without their consent. Their rights are being violated Contributing Writers: by health workers who should know better. HEJNU Team Guest writers We have a story about a young woman who is living with HIV but has hope and is spreading information about living positively and Photos by: with hope like she is doing. UNFPA Design/Layout The Health Digest has this time been written by volunteers and HE- Bagmuz Creations JNU staff. We are truly grateful for your contributions. Although we tried to look around for funding for this issue, we failed. But all the same here it is and ready for you to enjoy. Send all correspondence to: Plot 156-158 This edition is our eighth issue. You can read the others on our web- Mutesa II Road, Ntinda site: www.hejnu.ug. We welcome your feedback. P. O. Box 4883 Kampala -UGANDA Enjoy your reading, Tel: 256 704 292188 Edris Kisambira. [email protected] Website: www.hejnu.ug Editor 2 The Health Digest Uganda’s Health news leader Media Reporting on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights Rated Fair In mid January 2016, the focus of our monthly science Patrick Mwesigye Sewa, founder and CEO, Uganda Café was Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for Youth and Adolescents Health Forum, said many young adolescents and youth. For the first time, we had another people do not know what SRH services they are entitled sponsor for this Café, the Uganda Network of AIDS Ser- to and where to access them. vice Organisations (UNASO). Bakshi Asuman, programs manager Reach A Hand, also Joshua Wamboga, Executive Director, UNASO thought discussed the challenges of work-ing with the media to the topic was relevant and timely as “the mass media have create awareness on SRH issues for young people. He excellent potential to promote good sexual and reproduc- said the media does not understand and appreciate SRHR tive health outcomes.” issues and urged journalists to increase their coverage so as to draw more attention to them from policy makers and However, he faulted the Ugandan media for often fail- other stakeholders. ing to prioritize and report accurately on SRHR. “Media coverage of SRHR is just fair,” he concluded. Joshua has In this edition of the Health Digest we have a map pro- been an advocate for these issues long enough so I believe duced by Reach a Hand where these services are provid- him. ed. The Health Journalists Network in Uganda (HEJNU) Ministry of Health officials were available to tell us what once every month, usually on a Wednesday afternoon, the government is doing about it. Dr. Wilberforce Mug- from 3-5 pm holds a science or media café. HEJNU is wanya from the Reproductive Health Division of the an association dedicated to increasing understanding of Ministry said they are aware that the health-seeking be- health care issues and improving health literacy among haviour of adolescents and youth need to be addressed if Africans. more are to seek SRH services. The science cafés we have held have almost exclusively Therefore, there are efforts for all health facilities to have been sponsored by AVAC, a global non-profit organisa- youth-friendly services. Different models are being ex- tion that works to accelerate the ethical development and plored and the one that the youth prefer unfortunately is global delivery of HIV prevention options. Thankfully, unaffordable to government. more sponsors are coming on board. Olivia Kiconco an official from the same department said Generally, science cafés are an innovation that present a the Ministry of Health in partner-ship with UNFPA is de- platform for engagement on science issues that are per- veloping a mobile App that will make it easier for young tinent but may be rather isolated from the general public people to access SRH information. including the media. Since most young people have smart phones, putting in- Uganda’s adolescents and youth have been wretched in formation online is a wise decision and also crucial to terms of SRHR. But with more than half of the country’s increase access to SRH services. 36 million people below 30 years, its important to know that these young people prefer health facilities with ser- Lastly, Primah Kwagala from the Centre for Health, Hu- vices tailor-made for them. man Rights and Development, said young people have the right to access SRH information and services like At the January Café we discussed SRHR issues exten- safe, legal abortion and contraceptives. sively and here are the highlights of each speaker to whom we are profoundly grateful for having taken time Hopefully, the media can sustainably increase coverage to speak to us. of SRHR to create more awareness. I thank all our writers who volunteered their time. A big thank you all. Godfrey Walakira, training and development manager, Straight Talk Uganda, explained that young people should We hope our contribution is helpful. Hopefully more or- know about their SRH rights. This requires that journal- ganisations also realise the need and urgency of SRHR ists are knowledgeable to inform the public and report and play their part. objectively. Enjoy. Uganda is a signatory to several international treaties on Esther Nakkazi the