Nkechinyere Ewa
JHPIEGO, an international health organisation, has introduced recreational and educational facilities in selected health centres in Ebonyi State as part of efforts to encourage adolescents and youths to seek sexual and reproductive health services.
The intervention, which was received by the Ebonyi State Government on Monday, is aimed at creating a more youth-friendly environment where adolescents can visit health facilities without fear of stigma or discrimination.
The materials donated include table tennis sets, chairs, tables, ludo games, motivational books and other recreational items.
The items will be distributed to selected reproductive health facilities in Ezza South, Afikpo and Ebonyi Local Government Areas.
Speaking during the flag-off of the distribution at the State Ministry of Health, JHPIEGO Technical Adviser on Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Communicable Disease (CD) Services Project, Emeka Ifemena, said the initiative was funded by Global Health through the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme (NASCP).
Ifemena said the organisation was not only interested in providing health services but also in creating an environment capable of attracting young people to the facilities.
“Part of the work we do is to increase demand for SRH services in the facilities. With reference to that, we are also trying to increase demand among adolescents and youths so that they can access the services in the facilities,” he said.
He explained that many adolescents avoid health facilities because of fear of judgement, stigma or discrimination, adding that the recreational facilities were designed to make them feel more comfortable.
According to him, adolescents could come to the facilities to play games and interact with their peers, while also having the opportunity to access essential sexual and reproductive health services.
“What we have are table tennis, chairs, tables, games, motivational books, ludo and many other things. We hope that this will draw adolescents to the facilities.
“When they come to play, after playing in the facilities, they will be able to access SRH services, and this will translate to improved health outcomes for Ebonyi State,” Ifemena said.
He further expressed concern over the high rate of teenage pregnancy in some parts of Ebonyi, particularly Izzi Local Government Area, describing it as evidence of the unmet need for adolescent-friendly SRH and communicable disease services.
He said the intervention was expected to increase the uptake of health services among adolescents and youths across the state.
Receiving the materials, the Permanent Secretary, Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, Dr Lawrence Ezeogo, commended JHPIEGO for its continued support to the state health sector.
Ezeogo noted that the organisation had supported the state through training, capacity building, provision of materials and other interventions.
He said the recreational component of the latest intervention was particularly significant because it could bring adolescents who ordinarily would not visit hospitals into the health facility environment.
“A lot of these children will never go to the hospital for anything. But when they come to the hospital environment to play table tennis, scrabble and other games, they will see their friends, colleagues and age mates.
“In the course of interacting, they may be able to ease out their feelings and tensions and tell people exactly what is happening to them, rather than remaining at home and being unable to discuss their feelings with their parents,” he said.
An adolescent, Kelechukwu Favour, thanked JHPIEGO for the gesture, saying the recreational materials were among the facilities young people in Ebonyi had been looking forward to having.
She expressed optimism that the initiative would encourage more adolescents to visit health facilities and make better use of the services available to them.