Follow Us on Google
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State government has received educational and recreational materials from Jphiego, an international organisation, to increase sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents in the state.
The materials included table tennis, chairs, tables, games, motivational books, ludo chairs, and many other items.
The materials were distributed in three selected local governments’ reproductive health facilities, including Ezza South, Afikpo, and Ebonyi local governments.
Technical Advisor of the organisation on Integrated Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and Communicable Disease Services (CD) project, Emeka Ifemena, while flagging off the distribution at the state Ministry of Health, on Monday, said the donation of the materials was funded by global health through National Aids and Sexually Transmitted Control Programme (NASCP).
“Part of the work we do is to increase demands for SRH in the facilities and, with reference to that, we are also trying to increase demands of adolescents and youths, so that they can access the services in the facilities”, Ifemena said.
He disclosed that the organisation has created an enabling environment for adolescents and youths in the facilities, so that when they come to the facilities, they will feel at home without stigma or discrimination.
“So, what we have been able to do now is to create a conducive environment for adolescents and youths, so that when they come to the sexual and reproductive health facilities, they will be able to feel at home, no stigma, no discrimination, and, with that, we are going to increase SHR and CD demand.
“We have table-tennis, chairs, tables, games, motivational books, ludo chairs, and many other things because, after doing this, we hope that this will draw the adolescents to the facilities.
“When they come to play, after playing in the facilities, they are now able to access SRH services in the facilities and this will translate to an improved health outcome for Ebonyi State.
“We know that Izzi local government area of the state has a high rate of first term adolescent mothers, and we know that there is an unmet need for SRH services and CD services in Ebonyi. In the end, we hope that the services for SRH will be increased”, he stated.
Receiving the materials, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in the state, Dr. Lawrence Ezeogo, commended Jphiego for the gesture. He said the organisation has shown extra assistance to the state in different forms through training, provision of materials, and other assistance.
He described the donation of the educational and recreational materials as more important because it is taking care of children and adolescents.
“A lot of these children will never go to the hospital for anything, but when they come to the hospital environment to come and play table- tennis, to come and play scrabbles, to come and do what other people are doing there, they will see their friends, they will see their colleagues, and they will see their age mates.
“In the course of interacting, they may be able to ease out their feelings, their tensions, and tell people exactly what is happening to them, so that they won’t just get stuck at home and may not be able to discuss their feelings with their parents”, he said.
One of the adolescents, Kelechukwu Favour, thanked the organisation for providing the materials. She said the materials were some of the things adolescents have been expecting since in the state.
