Long distances to access SRH services eased in Kasungu

Long distance to health facilities to seek sexual reproductive health services in Kasungu has been eased with mobile outreach and static clinics thanks to Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM).

FPAM with support from United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) is providing integrated SRH/HIV/SGBV services through static and outreach clinics in Kasungu, under Joint Programme on Girls Education (JPGE).

A 23 year old, Mervis Nkhoma from Traditional Authority (TA) Lukwa told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that distance to health facilities like main hospital and Bua Health Centre made it impossible to access SRH services.

“To get to Kasungu District Hospital one needs about K6, 000.00. We are now relieved because there are outreach clinics are being conducted by FPAM,” she disclosed.

Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Simndemba said there were problems in as far as SRH was concerned especially among the youth.

“Due to lack of SRH services nearby in the past and the issue of distance to health facilities, there used to be many teenage pregnancies among the youth. The outreach clinics now have helped the youth to get services,” he said.

FPAM Projects Officer, Jimmy Kachale also said the targeted outreach programmes were introduced looking at how the problems in access to Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) were experienced in most hard to reach areas.

-Mana-