Dapp encourages youth to patronise health services

Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in the country have been challenged to access youth-friendly health services if they are to make informed decisions on their health.

Dapp Malawi country director Lisbeth Thomsen made the call yesterday during Dapp open day organised jointly by Ministry of Health and National Aids Commission (NAC) in Thyolo.

She said youth, with youth-friendly health services, can avoid contracting HIV and that those infected can be put on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

“Today we are focusing on adolescent girls and young women in creating space for them to improve knowledge and access to sexual reproductive health rights [SRHR] services,” said Thomsen.

She said the project, which started last July and will end in June this year, aims to reach out to over 2 000 girls in 30 schools.

NAC director of programmes Chimwemwe Mablekisi said they pumped K23 million in the project while Dapp pumped in K25 million.

Thyolo district director of health services Arnold Jumbe appealed to youths in the district to access youth-friendly health services, saying his door is open for them. l