Women’s Health Services
Program Manager: Mrs. Refilwe Mpe, contact number: 015 293 6042
Department of Health’s vision is that every woman shall have access to Sexual and Reproductive health services
Programme objective - is geared towards improving health status and quality of life of women and girl children through increasing access to their reproductive health rights.
Services that contribute to the health of women
- Family Planning services/Contraception services.
What is Family Planning? In simple term Family planning refers to birth control or fertility control.
Objectives
- To reduce/prevent unwanted or unplanned pregnancies
- Child spacing (number of years between pregnancies)
- Mothers are able to decide how many children they want
Methods of Family Planning/contraceptives available from public facilities
- Female and male condoms
- Pill/ oral contraceptives
- Injectable ( Nuristrate or Petogen)
- Sub dermal contraceptive implant (Implanon)
- Loop/ IUCD ( intra uterine contraceptive device)
- Female sterilization ( Tubal Ligation)
- Male sterilization ( Vasectomy)
- Emergency contraception (morning after pill or IUCD) for women who had unexpected unprotected sex within 5 days of the sexual relationship – BUT remember you should also need to check for STI and HIV.
NB: The emphasis is on dual protection.
2. Cervical cancer screening services
Objectives:
- To reduce the incidence of invasive cancer of the cervix.
by early detection and treatment before the cancer can spreads to the rest of the body.
- To reduce the number of deaths associated with cervical cancer.
- Every woman from the age 30 years and older should be screened for cervical cancer using a Pap smear test.
- Pap smear test is available in all health facilities for screening of cancer of the cervix for free.
3. Breast cancer screening
Objectives
- The objective is to create awareness amongst the general population.
- Provision of women with skills of Breast Self-Examination
- Encourage women to seek professional help as soon as abnormalities are detected
NB: Breast abnormalities to be reported:
- Lump thickening in the breast or armpit
- Unusual increase in the size of one breast
- Persistent discharges such as blood or pus
- Scaly patches on the breast or nipple skin
- Development of dimple on the breast
4. Safe Termination of Pregnancy
Termination of Pregnancy Act (Act No. 92 of 1996 as amended) gives women the right to choose whether they want to continue with their pregnancy or not.
Objectives
- To reduce maternal deaths caused by illegal unsafe abortion.
- To provide accessible, efficient, user friendly safe termination of pregnancy.
NB: Termination of pregnancy is not supposed to be used as a family planning method as this can be dangerous to the body of a woman in her lifespan.
Designated facilities providing safe termination of pregnancy for women up to 12 weeks of pregnancy are as follows:
Capricorn district
- Helena Franz hospital
- Lebowakgomo hospital
- Mankweng hospital
- Pietersburg hospital
- Seshego hospital
- W F Knobel hospital
- Zebediela hospital
- Rethabile CHC
- Endermark clinic
- Seshego Zone 4 clinic
- Maggie’s Reproductive Health clinic – Private designated facility
Greater Sekhukhune district
- Jane Furse hospital
- Matlala hospital
- Ikageng clinic
- Nchabeleng CHC
Mopani district
- C N Phatudi hospital
- Letaba hospital
- Nkhensani hospital
- Sekororo hospital
- Duiwelskloof CHC
- Duiwelskloof clinic
- Mabins clinic
- Mariveni clinic
- Mashishimale clinic
- Mogapeng clinic
- Raphahlelo clinic
- Seloane clinic
- Shotong clinic
Vhembe district
- Donald Fraser hospital
- Elim hospital
- Louis Trichardt hospital
- Malamulela hospital
- Siloam hospital
- Tshilidzini hospital
- Makhado CHC
- Tiyani CHC
- Tshilwabusiku CHC
Waterberg district
- Ellisras hospital
- George Masebe hospital
- Witpoort hospital
- Voortrekker hospital
- Mookgopong CHC
- Thabaleshoba CHC