News
Strides toward providing friendly health services for youths in HTEIs
At the University of Dodoma, young people are benefiting from improved health services, while healthcare providers are enjoying better working environments. These advancements are directly linked to the improved physical conditions of the University's health facilities.
Through the “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future, (O3) Plus project”, UNESCO has established four (4) new Doctors’ consultation rooms; a partitioned laboratory, examination room, theatre corridor, and raised-up floor at the reception which has enabled service providers to be able to see and interact friendly with clients while seated. Additionally, the improvement also included establishment of a triage, merging of patient wards, 10 toilet facilities, 1 toilet facility for people with special needs, and procurement and fixing of 3 TV sets (65 inch @) and 28 modern clients’ waiting benches.
The improvement has positively revolutionized service delivery at the University community, as evidenced by testimonials from both service providers and students:
In one of our health facilities, we had only one (1) consultation room. This was a very serious challenge to us especially in the provision of youth-friendly services because it affected the privacy of clients, increased patients’ waiting time, and limited utilization of doctors that we have. With 4 new consultation rooms, we have now dedicated our previous room to cater for Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS) only and the 4 rooms are utilized by 4 doctors to serve our clients, largely students. This is such a tremendous achievement to us
One thing that has impressed me is the fact that I can hear and interact well with staff at the reception without any problem as it used to be. Also, the new benches are comfortable for one to sit on while watching edutainment programs on the TV mounted on the wall. That's why I like going to the clinic whenever I have a medical problem or if a fellow student needs me to go with her. Unless I'm really busy, I don't mind doing it at all
Speaking during a handing over ceremony of the renovated facilities that was organized on 27 March 2024 at the University of Dodoma, UNESCO Head of Office and Country Representative Mr. Michel Toto commented:
UNESCO envisions a world where all learners thrive and fulfill their educational potential. It is for this reason that we will continue to work hand in hand with the government, ministries, Institutions, CSOs, and partners to ensure that young people in Tanzania realize positive health education, and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, and sexual and gender-based violence
Since 2022, UNESCO has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to promote and strengthen the delivery of SRH, HIV, and GBV prevention education and services to young people from across 17 higher learning institutions in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. The improvement in physical environments of the health facilities complements earlier support which was directed to strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers in the provision of YFHS. In April 2022, UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health trained 50 healthcare providers from HTEIs (20 from the University of Dodoma) on YFHS. This initiative contributes to the realization of SDG 3 (Good health and Wellbeing) and 4 (Quality education).
