BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
UMGUZA Rural District Council (RDC) has unveiled a novel mobile bus campaign to conduct sexual reproductive and health rights (SRHR) education targeting young people in the district to, among others, reduce child pregnancies.
Under the mobile bus campaign, Umguza RDC officials traverse the whole district conducting SRHR education amid indications that the youth, in particular, learners were failing to access the services because clinics are far and wide apart.
Umguza RDC health officer Ruth Chamunorwa told journalists during a recent SHRH reporting workshop that the mobile bus campaign was proving effective in increasing the percentage of young people receiving comprehensive sexuality education.
“The council adopted and implemented policies, programmes, services to enhance gender and youth sensitive, appropriate and affordable quality health care, including sexual and reproductive health and rights education through the use of the mobile bus campaign,” Chamunorwa said.
“The council’s gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV and Aids plans were updated in line with the provisions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Updated Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development.
“The SRHR plan was implemented in concert with the GBV and HIV and Aids plans to provide holistic SRHR care and services and education to also increase the percentage of young people receiving comprehensive sexuality education.”
This came at a time government has also unveiled an E-Health strategy to improve access to SRHR services and healthcare in remote areas.
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The World Health Organisation defines E-Health as “the combined use of electronic communication and information technology in the health sector”.
“Supporting infrastructure (Networks, Electricity, Tools) information and communication technologies have potential to address some of the challenges currently being faced in Zimbabwe,” reads the E-Health strategy document from the Health and Child Care ministry.
“Rural areas and underserved communities traditionally suffer from lack of access to health care. The increased adoption of the cellphones has allowed the adoption of telemedicine. Telemedicine has overcome geographical barriers, and has increased access to health care services.”
