Director: Do more awareness

PAPUA New Guinea needs to step up sexual and reproductive health awareness and services for adolescents and youths, PNG Family Health Association (FHA) executive director Michael Salini says.
“We reached out to 20,000 youths through awareness activities last year and 10,000 of them responded for services,” he said.
Salini said about 60 youths from Morobe, East New Britain and the National Capital District (20 from each province) were trained and engaged in various activities under the Spotlight Initiative since last year.
He said 35 of the youths were in Port Moresby for a two-day conference hosted in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) including 10 youths from other partners such as Equal Playing Field, Salvation Army, Sanap Wantaim and Marie Stopes.
“This conference is about giving a platform for the youths to share their experiences, learn from each other and network,” he said.
“This is a subject that is not openly discussed in the society. Therefore, many of our young do not know how to deal with the challenges they face.
“This could mean some of them (many have) unplanned pregnancies or contracted sexually transmitted diseases.
“These young people then do not know where to go to receive help or are afraid to seek help.
“That is where the youth advocates come in and they have done a very good job as reflected in the number of their peers coming forward to get help,” he said.
FHA has offices in Port Moresby, Lae and Kokopo.