The CONSCOV team on March 1, 2024, held a meeting with the partners in the refugee sector to share its findings on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexual and reproductive health of the youth and adolescents in northern Uganda.
The meeting was also intended to seek collaboration with the partners to strengthen the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and the youth in schools and communities, especially in the refugee-hosting districts of Adjumani and Obongi.
“Today you are here as partners to continue with this conversation of adolescents and youth. During the lockdown there were reports of increased pregnancies, increased abortions, STIs [sexually transmitted infections] went high, GBVs [gender-based violence cases] - the situation was bad. We are aware that there is donor fatigue. Funds are being cut left and right. We are here to discuss how we can continue to serve under these circumstances,” said Dr. Agatha Alirdri, the head of Gulu University's CONSCOV research project, in her opening remarks.
CONSCOV Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Agatha Alidri addresses the meeting
The meeting, held at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in Adjumani, and attended by representatives of the central government, local governments of Adjumani and Obongi, and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), agreed that adolescents and youth were facing enormous sexual and reproductive health challenges, and required a lot of support.
Refugee sector partners that attended included the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Lutheran Federation (WLF), War Child Canada, Finn Church Aid (FCA), the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda, Rice West Nile, World University Service of Canada, Medical Teams International (MTI), Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) and Palm Corps.
Team member Prossy Nyamungu noting partners in reproductive health as suggested by the meeting
Robert Dima, the District Education Officer (DEO) for Adjumani District said there was a “total breakdown” of family values, leading to neglect of children in certain aspects, while at the same time, schools were getting more commercialised and therefore getting more concerned with making more money than paying attention to good upbringing of children.
“Thank you Gulu University for the CONSCOV project. Thank you, OPM for providing the environment for this conversation. We are grappling with reproductive health issues every day. It is in order for us to discuss it to help us manage it better,” said Dima.
Adjumani DEO Robert Dima addresses the meeting
The DEO of Obongi District, Felix Idraku added: “When we look at the [CONSCOV] consortium – Gulu University, Reproductive Health Uganda and Gulu Regional Referral Hospital – we have something to learn. What is key is collaboration and partnership. As a person, the way I have been handling my child is not the right way. That is what I have learned here. The life of the youth today is not the same as of those days. They are ‘dot com’. You need examples of their time, not our time. If you give examples of our time they will miss the message.”
Obongi DEO Felix Idraku addresses the meeting
Titus Jogo, the Adjumani Refugee Desk Officer, said the OPM was proud to be associated with Gulu University and the CONSCOV consortium.
“I am happy that you have brought the partners [in the refugee sector] into this engagement. We have different roles we play but together we must achieve one thing. Most of the people we have either have inadequate or no knowledge about youth and adolescent reproductive health,” said Jogo.
He added: “What has been missing is to strengthen our partnership to work as a team and confront reproductive health issues of young people. I know this project (CONSCOV) is coming to an end. I promise that once the donors are here, I will talk to them. We need to ensure that this approach continues.”
Adjumani District Refugee Desk Officer Titus Jogo addresses the meeting
Before the meeting – on the eve of March 1 – the CONSCOV team held a radio talk show on Au Lugo FM in Adjumani, hosted by Isaac Aruci. The team called on the community to understand the reproductive health needs of young people and support them.
“If she tells you that I am feeling pain somewhere take them for a health check-up,” said Emily Uramba Kayeny, one of the team members.
The CONSCOV team during the talkshow
