FPAM Revives YAM in Neno

Gama- School closure has resulted in more cases of teen pregnancies Gama- School closure has resulted in more cases of teen pregnancies - pic by Steve Kalungwe

In a bid to make sexual reproductive health messages reach the youth for a reduction in number of teen pregnancies in Neno district, Family Planning Association of Malawi has revamped its youth arm, Youth Action Movement (YAM) with an aim of making teen pregnancies history in this Covid19 era.

FPAM Neno district manager Harvey Gama told Zodiak-online that, his organization has noted a gap in sexual reproductive health massage dissemination among the youth which is leaving a lot of them with unwanted pregnancies especially this time when schools are closed.

“We have seen that a lot of youths here in Neno are not aware of family planning methods which they can access to avoid getting pregnant, hence our move to revamp the YAM so that they share reproductive health messages among themselves", said Gama.

Gama added that, with the Covid19 pandemic, there is a need to intensify sexual reproductive health services as most teens who are sexually active are out of school, raising fear of indulging in premarital sexual activities.

The YAM initiative has been inactive for close to two years now affecting sexual reproductive health care messages among the youth but now with its resumption, the youth will be able to share sexual reproductive health messages through youth friendly activities organized by themselves to suit their needs.

Neno YAM chairperson Memory Chaima hailed FPAM for the reintroduction of the youth program, saying it will help them have right information on sexual reproductive health, there by presenting them with an opportunity of choosing a method of their choice.

"We have been lacking information on which ways of family planning to use, myths were there, with no one to dispel them, now we are happy to have YAM back," said Chaima.

Chaima further advised her fellow youth to take family planning methods, like condom use, seriously especially now that they are home due to closure of schools as falling to have one may doom their future after felling pregnant.

Family Planning Association of Malawi Neno clinic is also appealing to youths who are HIV positive to come to their clinic to access ART services for free since its staff is highly trained in youth friendly services.

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