GRPA and PAHO/WHO host advocacy training for youth

Sep 05, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), with support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), hosted an advocacy training in Georgetown for youth to address the need for improved sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service provision for vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana.

A section of the training session on advocacy with young people from Regions One – Seven

A section of the training session on sexual and reproductive health and rights

GRPA Executive Director, Arlene Chaturia (right), hands over the care packages to Ministry of Health – Adolescent Health Coordinator, Cilandell Glen (left)

According to a release, on Friday, September 3 and Saturday, September 4, 20 young persons from Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven were trained at the Mirage Banquet Hall, Alberttown, Georgetown. In addition, on September 11-12, 10 young persons from Regions Eight, Nine and 10 will be trained in Linden.
The training forms part of the WHO CSO COVID-19 project that GRPA is implementing with life-saving SRH services and care packages being provided to women, youth, adolescent mothers, and other vulnerable groups.
GRPA also presented its final report of a qualitative assessment on access to SRH services by vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana. The purpose of the research was to assess the experiences of youth, women, and other vulnerable groups when accessing HIV, contraceptives, and other SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana.
The findings and recommendations from the survey will be used to lobby the Ministry of Health for improved SRH services in Guyana. The final report will be presented by GRPA and a group of trained youth to the Ministry of Health. It is hoped that the trained youth, who represent communities from the 10 administrative regions of Guyana, will assist in promoting SRH information and services, including HIV/STI testing and screening, and contraceptives.
Through PAHO/WHO’s COVID-19 response initiative titled ‘Strengthening Civil Society Engagement in the COVID-19 Response’, GRPA has also donated 100 care packages to the Ministry of Health Adolescent Health Unit which will be provided to adolescent mothers at community health centres across Guyana. The packages include personal protective equipment, feminine hygiene products, and baby supplies.
Under the initiative, GRPA is delivering more than 300 free life-saving services, including HIV testing, STI screening, contraceptive implants and Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) to youth and women during the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve their health, rights, and well-being.
The COVID-19 response initiative by PAHO/WHO builds on the existing collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN agencies and other partners in providing direct funding to CSOs and community groups to implement COVID-19 related prevention and control measures, and to establish platforms for regular CSOs’ engagement at the national, regional, and global levels.
For more than 45 years, GRPA has been the leading defender and provider of sexual and reproductive health services and information in Guyana.

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