Health Department launches Youth Month

The Department of Health and a number of NGOs partnered to host an event to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs, violence, bullying and teenage pregnancy.

The event was held on Monday June 6 at Philippi Village.

Also involved were Pink Drive, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, TB/HIV Care and Crossroads, who educated young people about the early detection of mental health conditions, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, early pregnancy, breast and cervical cancer, among others.

The event formed part of the health department’s Youth Month activities.

“June is Youth Month so we are focusing on them,” said MEC for Health and Wellness, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo.

“We are creating awareness about prevention of HIV/Aids, mental health (conditions) and violence. Together with our NGO partners we are creating awareness about sexuality, about condomisation, termination of pregnancy, street abortion.

“In these gazebos our partners are focusing on different diseases and all other packages. We also are aware that our young ladies go to do abortions on streets and end up suffering."

Dr Mbombo also called on councillors and other community leaders and business people to get involved in ensuring that young people were educated and remained healthy.

Sondie Qamata, community liaison of TB/HIV Care, praised the community for coming out and testing for the various diseases. Her organisation brought a chest X-ray machine, emphasising that the procedure was “painless”.

“We are happy to present the machine that is quicker and has a painless test. It displays the lungs and abnormalities can be observed at the same time,” she said.

“We are working with the Crossroads clinic where we send the results and information of whoever has tested. They are the ones to tell who has been infected and should be treated for TB. But the good thing is that the whole process is quicker,” she told Vukani.

Philippi resident Thubalakhe Nqaba commended the programme, saying that he had been tested for HIV/Aids and TB, and had also been vaccinated against Covid.

“I never thought in my entire life that I would get such a service so quickly. This is what we need in our areas. If they can be this fast, the clinics can also be faster. But it is amazing how clinics are so slow. We sat the whole day in the clinic but here it was one, two, out,” he said.