RUNDU – The Namibia Planned Parenthood Association (NAPPA) has opened a youth-friendly health clinic that will serve not only the youth of Rundu but the entire Kavango East Region regarding sexual reproduction health.
The clinic, located in the Nkarapamwe location of Rundu, was officially opened last week Friday by the director of the youth directorate in the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Patrick Simataa, on behalf of Minister Jerry Ekandjo.
Speaking at the opening, NAPPA executive director, Bravo Linosi, said: “Research has shown that many young girls do not want to enter public clinics for various reasons or go to hospital and come out quickly for various reasons and that is what we call a gap in service provision.”
Linosi added that instead of girls going to queue up in long queues at the hospital together with people who are sick, NAPPA provides an alternative and an easier way for them to get assistance without a hustle and without bumping into uncles, parents and other elders.
“The opportunity cost has been reduced – young people can receive services without being judged and at no cost,” Linosi said.
Linosi urged youths to make use of the free services at the clinic.
“If you don’t use the facility it will become a white elephant and will be closed down,” he said.
“The opening responds positively to the initiative of moulding young people to be responsible members of society – ensuring that they understand their reproductive health and rights as well as care for their bodies,” youth director Simataa said.
The Kavango regions have experienced various social ills, among them an alarming teenage pregnancy rate. The reported teenage pregnancies in the two Kavango regions have gone up from 34% in 2012 to 36% in 2013.
NAPPA is developing strong peer education projects to ensure that a new generation of Namibians is equipped to make informed decisions about their future.
NAPPA is a non-profit organisation registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services as a welfare organisation. NAPPA has the primary responsibility of working with young people between the ages of 10-24 in complementing the government’s efforts to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services.
NAPPA works in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sports and Culture, Ministry of Health and Social Services and with non-governmental organizations including Physically Active Youth and Lironga Epara (for people living with HIV/AIDS).
Donors include UNAIDS, and the Association has close ties with other Namibian groups including Adolescent Friendly Health Services, the National Working Group on Female Condoms, the National Network of Aids Services, the Namibia Non-Governmental Forum and the Namibia National AIDS Network.