Women’s Month provided an opportunity to reflect on the challenges women face and the opportunities available to them. The City of Joburg is committed to empowering women and ensuring their health and mental well-being are prioritised.
The City’s health department offers a range of essential services, including contraceptive and fertility planning, which empowers women to make informed choices about family planning. Cervical cancer screening and breast examinations are also available, targeting the two most common cancers affecting women in South Africa, with early detection proving critical in saving lives.
Antenatal care, including prevention of vertical transmission, helps improve the survival chances of babies and prevents the transmission of viruses such as HIV/Aids and syphilis to the foetus. Postnatal care, which covers the period after childbirth, includes routine examinations and monitoring of both mother and baby. Additionally, the HPV vaccine is provided to primary school girls to prevent cervical cancer.
Other health services available to women at the City’s facilities include HIV counselling and testing, management of acute and chronic diseases, mental health care, and management of sexually transmitted infections, says Tebogo Mabubula, Manager in the City’s Public Health Unit.
The City’s Department of Social Development offers vital support for gender-based violence (GBV), a growing epidemic. In South Africa, women are killed by intimate partners at a rate five times higher than the global average.
The department runs the iThemba Crisis Line, a GBV contact centre that helps victims cope with the psychological impact of abuse.
“The City encourages people to call in with tips about suspected cases. The 24-hour telephone hotline is designed to report the abuse of women and children and provide victims with psychosocial support and access to justice,” said Nare Kubyane, Sub-Unit Head in the City’s Department of Social Development.
The toll-free iThemba 24-hour Crisis Line (0800 223 217) offers 24-hour access to professional help, including telephonic counselling, emotional support, and crisis intervention.
Written by Ayanda Radebe
30/08/2024
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