Cape Town - A satellite clinic in Belhar that offers youth-centric services is expected to meet the growing health needs of young people.
Among the services that will be offered to youth, aged 12 – 24, include:
- Family planning;
- STI assessment and treatment;
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP);
- Post –Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP);
- General HIV Care;
- TB screening and treatment;
- Management of minor ailments;
- Basic Antenatal Care services (until 36 weeks of pregnancy); and
- Outreaches to schools
The City said the launch of the clinic came after it piloted youth clinics in Site B and Site C in Khayelitsha in the early 2000s in response to young people’s reluctance to visit clinics where they might run into relatives or community members.
Another motivating factor was the concern that they would miss out on services due to competing priorities such as school or work.
“The satellite Youth Clinic in Belhar will further progress City Health’s continuous goal of providing a safe place for youth to receive healthcare.
“For now, the clinic will operate between 14:00 and 16:00 on Fridays, with a view to expanding its services over time,” the City said.
Community Services and Health mayco member Patricia Van der Ross urged the youth to use the space that has been established for them.
“This is such a positive step forward for our efforts to provide youth-centric services in a safe environment designed specifically for our young people. City Health has made huge strides in acknowledging and working to meet the health needs of our youth, as we have seen this dedicated service take hold in all of our facilities.”
Ward Councillor, Willie Jaftha, said: “The idea was to get youth into the clinic but also to provide a safe space where they can do homework and connect with each other. The vision is to have this clinic be a transversal hub for the St. Vincent community.
“With time, we want to involve other City departments like Recreation and Parks and the Library Service and turn this space into a fully-fledged youth centre. We encourage our community at large to utilise the space and help us turn it into a model of what can be for other areas,” said Jaftha.
The clinic is located in 50 Chestnut Way, Belhar.
Cape Times