3 minute read
KNH Youth Centre
Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health at KNH Youth Centre
By Daniel Nthumo
Advertisement
Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health refers to the physical and emotional well-being of these individuals.
This includes their ability to remain free from unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS, and all forms of sexual violence and coercion.
Adolescents need to understand the risks, responsibilities, and consequences of sexual behaviors.
Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) among the youth in low and middle-income countries is still a public challenge.
Early school-based education programs and sexual health information sharing between teachers, parents, guardians, and youth have been inadequate to protect them against the sexual health risks to which they are exposed.
To know more about sexual reproductive health, Newsline visited the Kenyatta National Hospital Youth Centre where we engaged with Ms. Caroline Thuranira, Assistant Chief Nurse (ACN), in charge of the Youth Centre.
Synopsis of KNH Youth Centre
“The KNH Youth Centre was established in 1999 as a project proposal to provide mental health services and safe abortion. The Centre at its formation was run by University nurses.
The project was finalized and officially handed over to KNH between the years 1999 to 2000. The department underwent a series of changes of name. Initially, it was known as a high-risk clinic that dealt with delicate pregnancies. It was later changed to Adolescent Clinic whereby the name was rejected since the youths felt like they were treated like patients. The name was then changed to what it is currently; the Youth Centre which the youth appreciate being associated with.
In 2005, the Centre introduced a policy incorporating standards of youth-friendly services, which helps to handle the youth. This concept was taught to other health workers who directly serve the youth and it involves being non-judgmental, exercising confidentiality on youth matters, and also giving youth a safe space where their ideas are respected. The concept was affirmed by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health and the Policy was produced and ran for 10 years and was later reviewed in 2016.
The concept of giving youthfriendly services is categorized into two: Stand-alone which is a clinical model that includes all the youth. The second one is the integrated model where they teach youthfriendly services to people working at the antenatal, post-natal, labor ward, clinic 66 for them to deal with the youth in a friendly manner,” said Ms. Thuranira.
Youth Centre Services
The key counseling services that are offered about reproductive health include; teenage pregnancies, post-abortion care, Gender Based Violence counseling (rape and traumatic experiences), STIs management, Family Planning, Preventive services which include Reproductive Health information, Cancer screening (both cervical and prostate cancer) and HIV testing.
“KNH is one of the pilot youth centers that is very unique and offers more comprehensive services that go beyond reproductive health services. When the youth come and have other needs aside from mental and reproductive issues, they are still able to be referred to the right place,” she explained.
‘Currently, we offer both reproductive and mental health services, such as Psychiatric services (depression support or mental illness support) and psycho-social support (includes more counseling) where we work with social workers, occupational therapy for adolescents because there is need to protect them as they remain to be vulnerable to the community. She further explained that they get referrals from schools as they also collaborate with the wards and young oncology patients where they help them manage the adolescent period.
“We have helped students write appeal letters to return to their institutions to continue with their studies,” she added.
The services at KNH Youth Centre are free for counseling and consultation. However, drug testing and reports letters are charged at Sh1200 and Sh600 respectively.
Achievements of the Youth Centre
KNH Youth Centre participated in the development of the National Adolescence sexual reproductive health policies; the latest being the 2016 policy.
It is also the Centre of excellence for bench-marking for other youth centres across Kenya.
PHOTO |NICHOLAS WAMALWA
