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conferenceseries.com
Volume 08 Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education Public Health Summit 2018
May 24-25, 2018
May 24-25, 2018 Osaka, Japan
4th World Congress on
Public Health, Epidemiology & Nutrition
Improving access to quality adolescent and youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services in the
Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A 30-month success story
Sundrapragasen Pillay1, M Muzigaba1, S MacDonald1 and G Reiprich2
1Enhancing Care Foundation, South Africa
2Health Focus GmbH, Germany
In South Africa (SA), adolescents and youth represent a critical target group at high risk of HIV infection and other health
and psycho-social challenges, yet they make insufficient use of public sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The
project objectives were to address this core issue by improving the youth friendliness of clinics in the target South African sub-
districts, increasing youth utilization of SRH services and improving youth ratings of service quality.Themulti-faceted approach
comprised: Improving training of nurses; improving youth health relevant skills; enhancing knowledge and attitudes of service
providers; supporting the application of a quality management approach to health service delivery; addressing shortage of
youth health-targeted support materials; engaging youth in the process and enhancing cooperation and coordination between
key stakeholders. Results indicated that from a baseline measurement of zero, 58% of clinics met the National Department
of Health’s (NDOH) 5 minimum standards to be classified as adolescent and youth friendly services implementing sites. The
number of SRH services used by young people aged 10-24 years increased by a margin of 59%. Strong positive change was
reported for satisfaction with quality and confidentiality of the services as well as for helpfulness of staff. These results achieved
in a relatively short timeframe support a case for the scaling up this approach which could potentially accelerate the successful
implementation of the adolescent youth friendly services program of the SA NDOH as well as provide valuable lessons to other
countries aiming improve such services.
Biography
Sundrapragasen Pillay is a Medical Doctor and Researcher based in South Africa. He is the Director of the Enhancing Care Foundation, a Research Institute of the
Durban University of Technology. He is the Heads of an international infectious diseases research site funded by the US National Institutes of Health. He was the
Principal Investigator of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative grant of the University of KwaZulu Natal.
Sundrapragasen Pillay et al., J Community Med Health Educ 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0711-C2-035