Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services (AYFS)
The Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services (AYFS) is a strategy that addresses the health needs and challenges of the young people especially at the Primary Health Care facilities. The strategy encourages young people to access the services provided at the Primary Health Care facilities and also capacitate the Health Professionals on positive attitude towards Adolescents and Youth. AYFS aim at reducing Youth Risky Behaviours like teenage pregnancy; substance abuse, STI; HIV and AIDS etc.
Limpopo is one of the provinces with high rate of teenage pregnancy. In 2012/13 were 7.8 and in 2013/14 were 7.9. One of the strategies to address this challenge is implementation of Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services.
There are 117 Primary Health Care facilities implementing Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services in Limpopo. There are trained young people (Peer Educators) placed in some of the clinics to assist the Adolescent and the Youth visiting the clinics.
The following information is given to the Adolescent and the Youth visiting the PHC facilities among others:
- Know your body.
- Rights and Responsibilities for the Adolescent and the Youth
- Benefits of abstinence
- Information on HIV and AIDS
- Medical Male Circumcision
- Contraception
Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP)
ISHP is a more comprehensive package of services, which addresses not only barriers to learning, but also other conditions which contribute to morbidity and mortality amongst learners during both childhood and adulthood.
It involves provision of services to learners in Quintile 1 and Quintile 2 schools; in all educational phases (foundation (Grades R-3); intermediate (Grades 4-6); senior (Grades 7-9); and Further Education and Training (FET) (Grades 10-12).
Target Learners in Quintile 1 and Quintile 2 Schools for assessment:
- Grade R
- Grade 1
- Grade 4
- Grade 8
- Grade 10
- All learners repeating grades
- Learners from other grades can be assessed if the educator; parent or self-referred to the school health nurse.
- Health promotion - All learners are given health promotion according to their age cohort.
Services rendered during school screening amongst others includes:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Oral health
- Height and weight
- Nutritional assessment
- Fine and motor assessment
- Psychosocial services
- Immunization
How the parent or Legal Guardian should assist
- The parent or legal guardian should sign the consent form for the learner to be screened. If the consent form is not signed; the learner will not be screened or will not receive the service.
- It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to take the referred learner to the clinic or referred institution.
- It is important for the parent or legal guardian to write on the consent form if the learner has any allergy to any medication or to write anything that will assist the nurse during the screening,
Please Contact; Mrs Alice Nkoana @ 015 293 6042 Deputy Director: Youth and Adolescent services