Support centres helping victims

By LULU MARK
STRONG support from the Southern Highlands health authority has enabled the establishment of family support centres (FSC) in hospitals which have improved services offered to the survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), an official says.
Officer-in-charge of the Mendi General Hospital FSC Sr Mary Balupa said due to long queues and openness of the environment at the outpatient, accidents and emergency department, patients with GBV issues could not be helped quickly and well, hence, the need for a separate clinic.
She was part of the first national summit on ending GBV which The National supported.
“We do counselling, follow ups, tell them about medicine, when to come back to the clinic and confidentiality is maintained because patient’s safety is very important,” Balupa said.
“The FSC is always on standby after hours and on weekends, especially to manage rape cases and other emergencies.
“Priority is given to rape cases and they should come within the 72 hours period after the incident in order for us to help prevent HIV/AIDS, sexually-transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.”
It was important, Balupa said, that these services were available in the rural areas so the Mendi FSC took ownership and branched out into the districts. “Now we have five reporting sites and three established FSC in Ialibu, Nipa and Kagua hospitals and we are aiming for nine more FSCs,” she said.
“There is a well-established family sexual violence unit (FSVU) in Mendi and the working relationship is excellent in terms of referrals.”
Balupa said after the coordinating body – the family sexual violence action committee (FSVAC) – was established, the need for FSC and FSVU to be a standalone facility was highlighted.
“That’s how we have these centres established and we are seeing cases very clearly,” she said.
“The FSVAC should be strengthened in all the provinces because it allowed for FSC and FSVU to be established and Southern Highlands is a good example of a system that is working.
“We acknowledge God for the wisdom and the PHA CEO.”