Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum held three podcasts in the month of May. The topics range from contraceptives, HIV and AIDS and Family planning.
#6 Contraceptives
The topic discussed was contraceptives and was hosted by Norah Nakyegera, Advocacy and Campaign Officer at UYAHF. The two guests were Catherine, a nurse and midwife at Kampala National Referral Hospital and Christine, Change Champion at UYAHF. The podcast began with an explanation of what contraceptives are and what methods young people and adolescents are using. Catherine, as a qualified nurse, took on what kind of methods are used commonly.
Next, we busted some common myths people have about contraceptives. Do you gain weight when you are on the pill? Is promoting contraception a government scheme to reduce the population of some tribes and areas? Does contraception lead to children being born with abnormalities? It was very interesting seeing the view younger people have on certain contraceptives and how these myths were busted by an experienced midwife.
If you want to hear more about it, you should go ahead to our Soundcloud account and press play! # 6 Contraceptives
#7 HIV/AIDS
Our HIV/AIDS podcast was organised by Joyce Nakato, Project Officer at UYAHF. Her guests were Martha Clara Nakato from the Ugandan Network of Young People living with HIV (UNYPA) and Leticia Akum Debora, Advocacy and Networking Officer at Organization for Gender Empowerment and Rights Advocacy Uganda (OGERA Uganda), a Change Champion at UYAHF and a young woman living with HIV.
The podcast started by asking what exactly HIV and AIDS is, as sometimes the two are mixed up. It also discussed how it can be transmitted from one to another. Similar to the podcast on contraceptives, there are many ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Young people often get information in schools, but still there are a lot of misconceptions about HIV/AIDs. Leticia shared her story and showed us that when you take medication as per your doctors orders, you can live a perfectly productive life, and that you can also live with someone who has the virus without catching it. Other topics talked about were discordant couples, how to know if you are infected, how to treat people with HIV/AIDS, what is done when you find yourself positive.
If you want to hear more about it, you should go ahead to our Soundcloud account and press play! # 7 HIV/AIDS
#8 Family Planning
The last podcast held in May was hosted by Hanne Vindevogel, an intern at UYAHF. Her guests were Lilian Anasho, a nursing officer for midwifery in Busiu Health Centre IV and District GBV focal person for the Health Department in Mbale, and Albright Amadrio, an enthusiastic Change Champion at UYAHF.
Access to safe family planning is a human right and very important to gender equality and women empowerment. It is also a key element in reducing poverty. Lilian highlighted that family planning is accessible for all levels of care and people should not be afraid to get information and/or their method of choice. During the podcast, types of family planning methods were discussed. One point was on the issue of people wanting to use family planning methods, but often not being able to access them due to expense or physical access. It is so important to not only talk about what is available, but in what context Ugandan youth are struggling with these issues today.
If you want to hear more about it, you should go ahead to our Sound cloud account and press play! # 8 Family Planning
Do you have questions around these topics? Then don’t miss out on listening to these podcasts!