Background
Sexual and reproductive health is a prioritized area in Botswana and the government has made efforts to widen the focus from maternal and child health to also include adolescents and men. In 2006, 38% of Botswana’s population was aged 10-24 and 41% was below 15 years. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancies and risk of illegal abortions show that there is a need for accessible youth-friendly health services in Botswana.

About the project
This project was created to improve pregnant youth’s access to sexual and reproductive health services at Letsholathebe 11 Memorial Hospital in Maun. The project was set up in a pre-existing facility with several rooms for consulting and examinations. The project team brought in all necessary equipment – everything from antiretroviral drugs to contraceptives and youth-friendly educational material. Four midwives worked in the facility and they were all trained on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights and how to provide youth-friendly services. Pregnant youth could then visit the clinic on Friday afternoons and access health education, physical examinations, counselling and HIV treatment. Youth without adequate support systems were referred to the social welfare department or other suitable organisations.

Results
47 pregnant youth visited the clinic during the three-month project implementation. The midwives provided them with health education at every visit and encouraged the youth to share their fears or questions with them. The most common questions were related to minor pregnancy disorders, signs of labour, preparation for labour, pain management and substance abuse during pregnancy. The project team’s evaluations showed that the youth appreciated the midwives’ open-mindedness and that they felt welcome, which made them comfortable asking questions. The youth clinic has received full support from the hospital and the number of youth visiting is expected to rise as the clinic gets more publicity.

Year: 2008