FLAS strive to provide integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health services through the static clinics and outreach sites prioritizing young people aged 10-24 as a primary target and adults above 24 years as its secondary target group. In an effort to expand service provision, the Association also focus on enabling other partners through service provision, capacity building and mentoring. The Family Life Association of Eswatini strategic plan 2016 -2020 stresses particular attention in reaching out to a number of people with SRHR services and information. The Association pledged and committed to provide over 2 million qualities integrated SRH services delivered by FLAS volunteers, staff and partners. This is because integrated SRHR and HIV service delivery remain the core function of the institution and this is enabled and done through static clinics and outreach activities with mobile clinic.
Rational for Integrated SRHR and HIV services
Among adolescents who become parents before the age of 20, the average age at first birth is 17.2 for adolescent girls. The unmet need for family planning among ages 15-49 is 15.2 and the total fertility rate among the same age group is 3.3. Adolescents and youth in Eswatini do not have adequate information and accessibility to services which will enable them to make informed decisions on their sexuality and reproductive health (Eswatini state of youth report 2015). The main factors associated with the high rates of HIV transmission in Eswatini include: low prevalence of male circumcision; multiple, long-term concurrent sexual relationships; early sexual debut; low levels of marriage; and intergenerational sex; low condom use; lack of family and community support and structural factors. To promote physical and mental health and well-being, and to extend life expectancy for all, there is need to achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care. No one must be left behind. It remains pivotal to ensure that barriers that limit service availability and as well as service uptake in settings where those services have been made available is addressed. Hence, FLAS commits to ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive
Health-care services, including for family planning, HIV/TB, GBV and information and education in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. The HIV situation in the country requires that HIV services are integrated with SRH services and all sectors of the population targeted without discrimination. Integrated SRHR and HIV Service delivery therefore remain the core function of the organization, ensuring that a broadened service package is offered both through the static clinics and outreach activities. The capacity of service providers is continuously strengthened in the application of the combination prevention strategies including Pre Exposure Prophylaxis. The clinical services delivery component also places emphasis on Prevention and protection against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in terms of GBV reporting, referral and access to services including post exposure prophylaxis. The capacity of partner institutions, both private and public, are also strengthened through trainings, service provision and mentoring by the Association. This will ensure quality Sexual and Reproductive Health services are available in many public and private health facilities for improved health outcomes.
COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES
To champion access to quality and non-discriminatory SRHR information and services in Swaziland through direct service delivery and enabling other actors, FLAS provides the following comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. These services are delivered in our static clinics in Mbabane and Manzini as well as in our mobile clinics. All services that are administered in our mobile clinics are free of charge as they target the most vulnerable, marginalized and poor of the poorest in the society.
Counselling:
1.Sex and Sexuality Counselling
2.Relationship counselling.
3.SRH counselling
Family Planning/Contraception:
1.Counselling
2.Provision of contraceptives including oral contraceptive pills injectable, intrauterine device (IUCD), implants emergency contraceptive, condoms.
Safe Abortion Care:
Pre and post abortion counselling.
Post abortion care
STIs screening and management:
HIV:
1.Pre- and/or post-test counselling
2.HIV testing
3.ART
4.Post exposure prophylaxis.
5.Psychosocial support
Screening:
1.Breast examination
2.Pap smear
3.Visual Inspection using Acetic Acid(VIA)
4.Pregnancy test
5.Haemoglobin (HB) test
6.Blood glucose test
7.Blood group test
Safe motherhood
PMTCTPrenatal/antenatal care.
Post-natal care
Ultra sound scan
Child immunisations and growth monitoring
Gender-based Violence:
Counselling/ Screening for Gender-based violenceReferral mechanisms for clinical, psychosocial and protection services.
In conclusion, in a country where general dominating trends are pervasive poverty and economic inequality, access to quality sexual and reproductive health services remains key priority area. The social marginalisation of vulnerable groups calls for stimulation of a better policy landscape and service delivery mechanism. Limited access to appropriate information, gender inequality, abuse of cultural norms also add to the barriers that limit service availability and as well as service uptake in settings where those services have been made available. The role of civil society organisations such as FLAS in addressing these challenges is complementary to the role of the government and private sector and, as such can never be replaced. Hence let’s join hands in improving the quality of health for the people of Eswatini.
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