Addressing teen pregnancies

EDITORIAL

Recent data shows that there are 11 mothers dying daily from preventable maternal complications; increase in teenage pregnancy by 70% in the last decade; 2,150 new HIV cases for January to August 2012 alone and 560,000 unsafe abortion cases annually due to unintended pregnancies in the Philippines.

The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), a nongovernment organization, bared these data saying as alarming as these numbers show, added problems arise from sex abuse, violent homes, educational failure, lack of reproductive health care and poverty. The absence of strong and healthy communication in families add to the crisis.

Operating on continued dedication and commitment to the pursuit of sexual and reproductive health of all Filipinos, Ruskin Kollin of the FPOP, said their organization, aims to comprehensively address sexual and reproductive health and rights of Filipinos, including young people in the Philippines, to cut down the burden it brings.

Entitled “Scaling Up and Expanding Youth Friendly Services in the Philippines or CHOICES,” the FPOP’s new project aims to improve access by young people to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and right based comprehensive sexuality education. Six project sites have been identified: Baguio-Benguet, Camarines Sur, Pampanga,  TandangSora, Iloilo and General Santos chapter.

The youth friendly service delivery will cater to the unreached youth population such as the gays, bisexual, transgender, young commercial sex workers, unmarried young women, indigenous young people, out of school youth, young people with HIV and AIDS. Increased participation of the community will further promote comprehensive sexuality education to the intended project beneficiaries.

The FPOP Baguio-Benguet Chapter project is focused on young mothers aged 24 and below, single or married. Services offered include comprehensive sexuality education, maternal and child health seminars, youth friendly reproductive health care services such as gynecologic, medical, pediatric consultation, laboratory examination, family planning services, pap smear, gram staining, sexually transmitted infection treatment, counseling and HIV-AIDS education and counseling. Training of potential young mothers from different barangays in Baguio-Benguet on “comprehensive sexuality education is one strategy to reach out to their peers.

For more information and access to these services, young mothers and their husband can go to FPOP office at Room O, 2nd floor, Danes Bldg., Kayang, Baguio City or may call or text 09461762027/09164622986.