WEST COAST ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTH HEALTH SYMPOSIUM [ CSA IN SCHOOL]

IT WENT DOWN IN STYLE

The symposium was aimed at addressing the health issues and challenges faced by the youth and adolescents from West Coast. This was done in a question and answer session and a healthy debate. The  session was characterized by discussing topics where each participant would give their view on it. We brought the debate on board to hear peoples views on their health matters and challenges and also get recommendations on how to better them, pinpoint the things that are foregone or ignored that can be of great impact to them.

The day started with Director Pwani Youth network making a presentation on the organizational work and program of the adolescent they intend to implement for the next two years.

The organization Director  also did a presentation on the state of health of the youths and adolescent in the two sub counties of Jomvu and Changamwe.Youth and health information was still a great challenge for a very small percentage would visit health facility for health information.

He also gave the statistic of the adolescent health staticist within the two sub counties of  Jomvu and Changamwe according to the report by the Ministry of health and department of health Mombasa Counties .

The team then had a health break for 20 Minutes to make the Youth interact and share the stories from areas they come from.

The Second speaker was Daniel Ngahu from Be the Brand  a Youth conslutance Firm  that does training and Mentorship program to upcoming Motivational Speaker.He share his Journey as a young man who is a believes in mentorship as a key area of achieveing sustainable development.He is currently running the MSANIVIST  an entrepreneur and trainer on entrepreneurship and startups.He also welcomed one of the Motivational speaker Madam Lucy Wamwere from Great ignitors)

They deal with empowerment and power of many youngsters being able to use what they have to achieve much greater things

a. The challenges are different from different people

b. People should get hold of what they have to achieve greatness, key value education

c. Squandaring of opportunities due to fresh blood and youth hormones Education! Education! Education! The little startups we have we should be thankfull and take them serious

you dont joke with an opportunity and then expect to achieve greatness

Greatness comes from inwards, change starts with me. One needs effort, dedicate time, be serious with different activities we engage in

What makes you so unique from the rest, people have different expectations and believes

How prepared are we with our future, what do you plan with it  ?

Reluctant on dependency on others. Commitment, Focus, energy,I mpulse,what can one admire from you- make it so visible to others, ACTIONS

The past doesnt define us,it should give us only experience

On the Question and answer session we had a panel comprising of:

1.     MS Lucy Nyambura-Mombasa county school health director

2.     Mr. Alak -KNUT representative Changamwe

3.     Mr. Abdulhakim Abdala-Youth Champion

4.      Dr. Baya -Marie Stop clinic

The panel answered questions posed by the youths and adolescents addressed to them personally or to the departments they represent.

Findings

The debate had one question to answer “Why do you think makes the youths and adolescents the not visit the health facilities ?”

On our debate we discussed the following topics in regard to the Youths’ and adolescents’ health:

·      DRUG ABUSE

Drug and substance abuse was at the fore front as the main and core reason to the constant loss of trust in hospitals among the youths. This is because of the misconceptions youths are filled with and believe in that use of certain drugs such as bhang, cocaine, kuberr, tobacco eases pain and also that they cure certain illnesses. Due to this misguided belief most of them have shunned away from the health facilities.

Under influence they engage in unprotected sex,they use same syringes when injecting the drug into their body,

·      STIGMA

Most are afraid of being stigmatized by the health workers. This is due to the large age gap and also the health workers judging them

·      PEER PRESSURE

Most of the youths and adolescents are influenced into the vices by their peers, this is by undermining them,daring them and also isolating them so that they may easily give in when given the chance to do whats been asked.

·      LACK OF INFORMATION

Some claimed to have been ill informed or not informed at all of the services offered at the health facilities and how to access them.

THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

The panel started off the session by first giving their individual take and views on the issue and theme of the day

Response to:  What causes the moral decay in the youths ?

Lucy

·      Parents laxity on their kids welfare

·      Desires to live a life one cant afford

·      Cheating in the relationships and engaging in sex with multiple partners

·      Take life slow..people hasten the rate they take the life

·      A collective responsibility in the society to curb the menace and address this issues

·      The houses we live in,, trying to try out what they see “experimenting”

·      Dressing codes should be descent so as to leave no room for immoral thoughts that may be aroused by flesh revealing clothings,

·      Moral code decay among the youths has made it possible for the rate of infections to shoot

·      Alcohol use and drug abuse

Abdulhakim

• Youths need take charge of their responsibility
• Trying to live a life that is not as per their current economical status
• Peer pressure
• Partying a lot
• Parents laxity and absence
• When people turn a blind eye to the misdeeds of the youth and adolescents the trend keeps on gaining ground in the community

Teacher Alak

• Digital platforms affecting the moral decay
• Parental advice
• Testing water
• Peer pressure
• Drug abuse

A statement by the audience

• Parents do not talk openly about sex
• Partying Is not the cause of the moral decaying
• Peer pressure is the main cause of vices
• Personal ignorance
• Parental ignorance

The team then had a lunch break at 1.10pm and lunch was served for 1 hour and by 2 pm the afternoon session begun

The session that was speared with Staff fro KICOSCE Mr Joseph Kysanda Who talked about peace as a vital tool in development. He said that youth have a role to play on matter .He ask the Audience what was the challenge youth are currently facing

·      Youth unemployment

·      Drugs and Substance abuse

·      Youth and health development

The second facilitator of the day was Alfred Mwakio from the department of Youth, Gender and Social Services. He talked of the work the department was currently doing with Young people in the county. He talked of the current project the county was going to implement to help improve the lives of the Youth, Women and people living with disability.

He said the department support the work done by the youths and would be receiving proposals to financing the youths and women

The second break out session Marie Stop staffs gave the girls information on family planning and the services they offer

Topic of Discussion

Family planning In Kenya and All the Statistics

The Facilitator

The Facilitator started by Brainstorming from the participants, Alfred Sigo from Pwani youth network gave the first try by Saying that family planning was an English phr

Methods of Family Planning

Condoms

Implants

Vasectomy

Pills

Injectable

Natural

Tubuligation

IUCD

PATCH

2 Oral Contraceptives

ICP Unplanned

Used to prevent Pregnancy

Used with 72 hours after unprotected sex

Should only be used less than 4 times in year

Types of pills

COC-Combined Oral Contraceptives

These are Always 21 pills and they should be taken 6 months after delivery

Popo-Progesterone only pills

They are 35 pills and they can be taken with women first 6 months after birth

E-Pills -they are given to prevent unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sex

They are taken with 120hours after sex

They are safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse

Progestin only contraceptives

Postinor-They are 2 tables and they must be taken with 120hours

M

Combined oral Contraceptives

Low dose pills eg Micrognuom, they are 4 start and taken again after 12 hours

High Dose pills eg Eugynon 2 start and repeats 12 hours

How the ECPS work

Mainly stops ovulation [Release of eggs from ovary]

Interferes with the movement of ovum and spermatozoa in the fallopian tube

ECP do not interfere with pregnancy

Who can us the EC

When a condom has broken during sex

Forget Birth control pills

The diaphragm cap allows

Miscalculated safe days

Withdrawal was not done on time

One was not using birth control

Forced sex or rape

Condition that do not allow use of EC

Severe heart diseases

Suffering from Migraine Headache

Suffering from liver diseases

Benefits

Provide emergency protection of 75% to 95%

Easy to use

Can be used when condom is damaged during sex

Limitation

Cannot be used after 120 hours

Do not protect against STI and HIV

Causes Nausea and vomiting

Slightly irregular bleeding

3 Injectable

These are also know as Dope and they are used for 3 months

Side affects of Depo

Low Libido

Mot having period at times

Spotting

Becoming fat/thin

Reduce

Heavy Bleeding

4 Implant

They are two types

·       Implanon-

One plastic rod with progesterone hormones

Effective for 3 years

68 Mailgrams

·       Jadelle

Tow plastic Rod with Hormones

They are effective for 5 years

·       Zarin

They are 6 rods and effective for 6 years

The side affects of the Implant as discussed are

Ø  Menstrual changes [Prolonged Bleeding and spotting]

Ø  Headache, dizziness, nouses and breast tenderness

Ø  Weight Changes

Ø  Delayed pregnancy

Any woman of reproductive  age

The people who should not use implant

A woman who is breastfeeding

Benefits

Highly effective

Rapid  and effective within 72 hours

Long term methods

Limitation

Mostly  inserted and removed by a services provide

CONCLUSION

After the two sessions we came up with a work plan to address the particular issues raised which was accepted by all the participants.

All the two sub counties Changamwe and Jomvu would form sub committee to have monthly meeting to follow up on Developing a tentative work plan

Mikindani Adolescent and Youth Health Declaration:

We as the youth take our health serious. We have consulted and decided harmoniously on the following actions to be taken so as to ensure our health is at its best and given the best care and health services.

1.	A Youth Friendly health facility in every hospital to deal with Youth in provision of health services
2.	An information center where relevant information is disseminate from to the rest of the population with so much ease and freely with no bias
3.	Schools and learning institutions should come up with sensitization programs to educate people on health matters and the appropriate actions to be taken.
4.	Media address some issues on air
5.	Have peer champions and counselors in our community
6.	Govt to fund some Health programs that curb the menace
7.	Community health workers to include  youths
8.	Strengthen youth friendly services and amenities
9.	Youth adult partnership in promoting health behaviors
10.	Religious leaders and other stakeholders to help addressing our issues.
11.	Come up with talent cent res where talent can be nurtured and at the same time address the health issues affecting us. This be in sports,talent growth etc
12	We need CSA in school
13.	NGO’s and the private sector to also play a role in the this matter that affects us as a whole.