By Abubakar Kanjoka

Kasungu, February 1, Mana: District Environmental Health Officer for Kasungu District Hospital (KDH), Rudolf Zinkanda Banda, says intensifying behavior change communication interventions is key to improving access to sexual and reproductive health related services by youths.

Banda made the remarks on Wednesday in Kasungu when KHD was disseminating its Integrated Social and Behavior Change Communication Strategy for 2023 – 2027 to stakeholders in the district.

Said Banda: “Health seeking behavior among the youths in Kasungu is very worrisome, more especially when it comes to sexual health and reproductive. This is a result of lack of knowledge, shyness as well as attitudes and perception in general.

“As such, the district is recording high figures of early pregnancy, and many of the victims of sexually transmitted infections are now the youths. So there is need to intensify social behavior communication interventions targeting adolescents.”

Banda urged the stakeholders to adopt the crafted strategy in coming up with more interventions targeting the youths in order to change their attitudes towards accessing sexual reproductive health services.

Family Planning Practitioner for KDH, Lydia Msowoya, said parents must be agents of change by being in the forefront sharing sexual reproductive health information with their children, as one way of encouraging them to adopt positive behavior.

“If we are failing to open up to our own children, who will guide them? We need to have serious talks with our adolescent children on how they can prevent early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections because that is the critical stage,” Msowoya said.

Chairperson for Kasungu Civil Society Network, Braxton Banda, applauded KDH for sharing the strategy, saying it will help to bring about coordination between all partners working towards uplifting health services in the district.

With financial support from Momentum Tikweze Umoyo Project, KDH has developed the strategy to guide interventions addressing all health-related problems present in the district, including sexual reproductive matters.