Medical students trained in counselling adolescents

Jun 12, 2019

John Okiror, a representative from Global Health and HIV/AIDs said the training for the medical workers is key because they are the people that have a direct link with the society especially the mothers.

HEALTH
 
Medical students from nearly 100 health training institutions around the country have received training on how to handle cases of adolescents, HIV/AIDs and sexual reproductive health issues.
 
The training held at Rubaga Hospital recently was organized by Global Health and HIV/AIDs Initiative in partnership with Northern Eastern Albertine Rwenzori Private Sector Investments Uganda.  
 
Speaking during his presentation, Robert Barteka, a health tutor at Jerusalem School of Nursing and Midwifery, said the most common problem of adolescents relate to growth and development which leads to risky or illegal behaviors. This, he said, places many of them under vulnerable situations. 
 obert arteka ealth utor erusalem chool of ursing and idwifery training nursing students during a seminar held at ubaga ospital recently hoto by hamim aad Robert Barteka, Health Tutor, Jerusalem School of Nursing and Midwifery training nursing students during a seminar held at Rubaga Hospital recently. (Photo by Shamim Saad)

 

 
"We should focus on adolescents as medical workers because they need special care. The adolescents in Karamojong are not the same as those in Kampala or Arua. Some are getting married at 14-years while others are being sold for dowry. The approach to helping them cannot be the same," Bateka said.
 
According to the Uganda Demographic Health Survey 2016 report, 25 percent of adolescents aged 15-19 in Uganda have begun childbearing, increasing the rates of unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted infections as well as death or disability due to childbirth.
 
With the many body changes they experience,adolescents are forced into illegal behaviors such as commercial sex to cross-generational sex if not handled with care.
 
"15% aged 15-19 have had sex with older men. The girls are more affected with the effects of cross-generation sex largely because of their anatomy," Barteka explained.
 
John Okiror, a representative from Global Health and HIV/AIDs said the training for the medical workers is key because they are the people that have a direct link with the society especially the mothers.
 
"The beneficiaries were nurses and midwives in the 100 health training schools across the country, laboratory and theater students," Okiror said.
 
He explained that the focus of the programme was to enable the students ready to join active employment gain knowledge in working with young people in order to practice their professions along with these groups in an ethical and effective way.
 
"Amidst the challenge of unemployment, we want them to first engage themselves with the communities," Okiror said.
 
"These students are finishing their exams in June. So, they will go with letters from the ministry of local government which they will present to the chief administrative officer who will do their deployment within the community but based on the area of study," he said.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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