CALL FOR INTRODUCTION OF EFFECTIVE CONTRACEPTIVES IN SCHOOLS

SITEKI – School committee chairpersons have suggested that the Ministry of Health should introduce effective contraceptives in schools, to prevent early pregnancies among female pupils.

Over 100 schools committee chairpersons, of primary and high schools, under the Lubombo Region, yesterday attended a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) workshop facilitated by the Ministry of Health. The workshop’s primary objective was to sensitise school committee chairpersons about the risk factors of HPV infection, which is primarily contracted through body contact like sexual intercourse. For adolescents who are sexually active, using effective contraceptives (such as condoms, birth control pills, the patch, the vaginal ring and the intrauterine device or IUD or injectable birth control methods) every time they have sexual intercourse will reduce chances of unwanted pregnancy. It was said that addressing teenage pregnancy prevention required broad efforts that involved families, service providers, schools, faith and community-based organisations.

prioritising

The ministry has started rolling out the vaccination exercise for HPV, prioritising pupils in schools across the country. Lubombo Regional Cancer Coordinator Busisiwe Tsabedze was the facilitator. HPV is a virus that causes cancer among females, particularly those in the age group of 9-14. During a questions and answer session, a school chairperson of one of the schools suggested that the ministry should introduce the vaccine that stops sexually active females from getting pregnant before the age of 18. “I want to know what government is doing to mitigate the rising cases of pregnancies in schools. A vaccine should be introduced to the girls who are sexually active. Apparently, a majority of those getting pregnant while still teenagers are in high school and some at primary level,” he said. Another chairperson of a school further implored the ministry to host these educational workshops in chiefdoms across the country so that more people would be empowered about the importance of vaccinating their children.

cervical

Also, another school chairperson stated that parents should also be educated to encourage their children to go to health facilities to test for cervical and breast cancer while still young.
“It is important that the culture of living healthy lifestyle be broadened in communities. The ministry should host these workshops and sensitise parents about the importance of testing for cancer and how they can undergo that,” said the chairperson. When responding to the suggestion, the facilitator, Tsabedze, explained that there were available preventative measures put in place by the ministry at the disposal of children who have reached puberty stage. However, Tsabedze encouraged the school committee chairpersons to engage parents about the importance of the vaccine and to ensure that their children were vaccinated. The coordinator further shared that they have also encouraged community motivators to play a key role in identifying families with children between the age group of 9-14 to vaccinate.

susceptible

“The ministry has started with girls between the ages of 9-14 because they are susceptible to the virus at this stage hence the workshop was an initiative to ensure that the school chairpersons engage and sensitise parents about the importance of the vaccine,” she said. Save the Children Director Dumsani Mnisi acknowledged that this was a sensitive topic but mentioned that his organisation did not encourage that contraceptives should be made available in schools but in health facilities in communities. Mnisi said currently his organisation, together with other stakeholders, was working on a comprehensive sexuality education programme that had been adopted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The director said, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and National Curriculum Centre, his organisation was finalising this curriculum to be introduced in schools that would have a clear method about life skills to sexually active children.

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