By Kopano Dibakwane
Learners from various high schools under the Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality were engaged on pertinent issues that affect their health such as reducing teenage pregnancy, accessing contraception, undergoing regular screening, and knowing their HIV status.
The engagement was held in Nhlazatshe which was led by Mpumalanga MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini, in collaboration with various stakeholders.
The event was part of commemorating the conclusion of Youth Month.
Speaking to the learners, MEC Manzini outlined the numerous services provided by the Department of Health, as well as creating health awareness in a bid to assist young people to make informed decisions on issues that affect their wellbeing.
She said factors such as family, quality of healthcare services, education, social status, and economic development, tend to impact the lives of adolescents and young people between the ages of 10-24. The MEC also donated sanitary towels to the girls in attendance.
“ The Department of Health in Mpumalanga, together with sister departments, Social Development and Education, as social cluster, decided to form a Provincial Based Support Team that will be responsible for coming up with strategies that will contribute towards the prevention and reduction of the currently high statistics of unintended pregnancies, new STI(Sexually Transmitted Infections) and HIV infections among the youth and adolescents in the province,” said Manzini.
