Experts from the academia as well as technocrats from the health sector yesterday gathered youths from various Universities across the country to discuss with them the pros and cons of reproductive health and sexuality.
The event that took place at Kyambogo University dubbed “Inter University Dialogue (IUD)” is an annual one-day Uganda National Interactive Sexuality advocacy platform that brings together academia, students health professionals, cultural and religious leaders and policy makers in higher institutions of learning directly about sexual health conversations in persuit of safer spaces for all students.
Dr.Jessica Nsungwa, the commissioner Maternal and child at the ministry of health said that educationists, family members everyone should take it upon themselves to avail information in every possible way to make sure that the young people can have access to it wherever and whenever they need it.
“The issue of awareness and education and this an institution can do ,a community can do,afamily can do and also government has a mandate including our partners ,this is our mandate to make sure that we increase awareness and also you can have champions among you who can commit themselves to go and help others who are not here you can be champion of building awareness because first of all you how technology works ,you know how all these tik tok things work you can actually be the champion and help others,” Dr Nsungwa said.
Recent reports from the ministry of health and other agencies have indicated that in the last five years teenage pregnancy has stood at 24 per cent and this has not changed all the years putting lack of access to inform as the one of the major causes.
This means that every 4 people either one is carrying a baby,carrying a pregnancy or was pregnant.
Mr Chekweko Jackson,Executive Director Reproductive Health Uganda told students that they are victims and they are likely to be affected by teenage pregnancy since most of them are below the age 20years.He has also raised a question of where the stake holders have failed and what needs to be done to cub the non decreasing issue of teenage pregnancy.
“So where have we gone wrong,what are we not doing right,where do we need to improve ,who should provide the answers ,it is you people,”Mr Chekweko said.
He added, “For some of us who grew up in the early 90s all the way upto now the ABCs worked for us perhaps if we had not practiced the abcs.We are lucky we have prep and pep now by the time not of that was available HIV/AIDS was a death sentence.I urge all of us to use ABCs ,Abstainance,Be faithful and Use a Condom.”
Dr Allan Kasozi Ministry of Health urged the young people to use available resources if they must involve themselves in active sex. He also asked students to empower themselves with knowledge and information about reproductive health from skilled and informed persons especially those from the health sectors.
“In as much as its your right to have a satisfying and meaningful sexual life still remember to look for information to protect yourself to practice this sex in a responsible way because there are complications that follow and for those who get pregnant I urge you to seek proper counseling ,antenatal care and delivery services from skilled programers.It is important that you know that when you get pregnant it is not the end of life you can always continue with your education and Kyambogo has policies that are conducive for pregnant students,”Dr Kasozi said
Wakiso Woman MP, Betty Ethel Naluyima who led the team to inspire the more than 500 youth who gathered at the event said when Wakiso district was declared with the highest number of teenage pregnancies after covid 19 hit she thought about and idea of taking back young people to school some of which had collected some money through working during covid days and some were young mothers who had given birth, she was forced to wear a school uniform just to asure them that its not too late for them .
“Its high time we encourage the young people to get back to school, by the time we started the mood was low when had just come out of covid even some of our children didn’t accept going back they couldn’t see the essence others had some money which they had worked for during covid. Today when you find me putting on a uniform,” Ms Naluyima said.
Most of the panelists have blamed the increasing number of teenage pregnancies,HIV/AIDS contractions and unsafe abortions on stigma and ignorance amoung the young people. The services which include:using condoms,pills,family planning and abstaining are in place but the young people have not embraced them as they should because of stigma.
Background
Inter University Dialogue 2023 aspires to empower the young people with knowledge and informationa about sexual health.This year the IDUUg23 was held under the theme “unpacking the complexities of sexual Health:Getting it right”
Students from different Universities,the Dean of students at Kyambogo University Ms Mugume Brigdet,Hon.Members of parliament ,Betty Ethel Naluyima and Balimweezo were in attendance.The most common question was “why the young people are not using the services,where have we gone wrong”
