Netherlands donates sh9b for reproductive health

By Cecilia Okoth and John Tatyamisa

The Netherlands government has donated sh9.6b to Save the Children, an NGO to implement a project on sexual and reproductive health targeting adolescents and youth in the districts of Agago, Nwoya and Kawempe, Rubaga and Central Divisions in Kampala.   

Speaking at the project launch dubbed “Keep it Real” early this week, Alphons Hennekens, the Netherlands ambassador said Save the Children was awarded a three-year grant targeting adolescents and youth to improve skills and knowledge with regard to sexual and reproductive health.

“Sexual and reproductive health is one of the most urgent issues Uganda has to deal with. With almost half the population below 14 years of age, an investment in issues such as family planning and reproductive health can only be considered essential for its citizens,” Hennekens said, in his presentation at the Lubaga Division Head Quarters where the project was launched.

Recently, President Museveni said HIV infections in the country had increased due to negligence and unfaithfulness of couples.  

The Uganda Aids Indicator Survey (UAIS) figures of 2011 show that the prevalence of HIV has increased from 6.4% in 2005 to 7.3% in 2011. Ministry of Health figures also indicate that new infections increased by 11.5% from 115,775 in 2007/8 to 128,980 in 2010/11.

Health minister, Ruhakana Rugunda, in a speech read for him by Dr. Janet Oola, the Nwoya District Health Officer, said the task of addressing the challenges of the youth in the country will not be surmounted by government efforts alone, but by combined efforts involving all stake holders in this endeavor.

“By providing adolescent friendly information and increasing access to sexual and reproductive health services, the “Keep it real” project will reduce mortality and morbidity attributable to sexual and reproductive health,” Oola quoted.

 She also stressed the fact that, the youth engage in sexual relations with little or no knowledge of how to protect themselves against the risks of infections and unwanted pregnancies.

Barbara Bouroughs, the Country Director Save the Children, said they will use the community based approach in distributing information on sexual and reproductive health in the targeted districts.

 “We shall speak to the youth through their existing groups in their communities and we shall spend a lot of time listening to them,” Bouroughs said.