Home | Letters | KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL MADE IMPOSSIBLE

KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL MADE IMPOSSIBLE

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

Sir,

I am a young woman trying very hard to plan my future, and ensure I have the number of children I want, and that I will be able to afford them. I have realised that girls in the country become parents before the age of 20. This, to me, is shocking but experience has shown me that no matter how responsible a young person can be, if the institutions we have are not able to support their decisions, they are as good as useless.


Perform


I recently went for family planning, specifically to have an IUCD inserted. However, I was informed by those present that no one there could perform the procedure. The nurse on duty was kind enough to call around and see if there was another who could perform the procedure, but she was not on duty. I was told to return at a later date.


Denied


On the following week I was denied my choice of method for three different but equally depressing reasons. Firstly, I called a public health institution in Mbabane to enquire about the IUCD. I was informed that it would cost E120.


I asked the receptionist if I didn’t have any money, but needed the service done, she kindly told me that then everyone who didn’t have money would be queuing for services. So now I was being denied a service due to affordability. And here I was thinking that the health institution was an NGO, and not a profit making business that would turn away a client in need. I do have to wonder what happens to girls who in all likelihood cannot afford the E120. Do they become part of the high percentage of girls who are mothers before the age of 20?


I am more fortunate than most as I do have the luxury of having medical aid but when I called a gynaecologist, I was informed that the doctor was fully booked until the following week. Again, denied services due to the schedule of the doctor.


In a bid to plan for the future I want, I have been turned away by three institutions. If this is the service provided to all girls, no wonder many of them have babies so young. I will probably return to the clinic pregnant, or as the case is, be one of your stories about ‘woman dumps baby in toilet after delivery’.

Very frustrated woman

Comments (0 posted):

Post your comment comment

Please enter the code you see in the image: