IPAS Malawi launches ‘Health Digital Link App’ for youths to access assistance on human rights services
In an effort aimed at curbing the challenges facing youths in the country on sexual and reproductive health and rights, IPAS Malawi has launched a special health digital link application that allows youths to be accessing various health services as well as report cases affecting their rights.
At the launch on Wednesday at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre, IPAS Malawi’s health systems advisor, Christopher Kandionamaso said they developed the health link App having observed that majority of the adolescence youths were usually shy to access some of the health services on time.
“Previously, youths have been struggling to get different services but this platform will create a good environment for them to be able to report as well as access any kind of support they might need.
“The digital link has got four major components, which includes family planning; sexual and gender-based violence; human rights issues and post-abortion care services.
These can be benefited by both women and girls not forgetting boys without fear since they will be reporting everything direct to the authorities such as the police, social welfare and other back-ender responders,” Kandionamaso said.
The services can be accessed through mobile phones by dialing *380# or sending a message to 308 as well as WhatsApp and Chat-Board.
Representative of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Champions, Bertha Paul applauded the initiative to develop the App link, which she described as a timely response and great platform set to play a good role to protect their rights and dealing with cases which they normally face in their respective communities.
“We’ve been finding it hard to voice out our concerns through physically approaching the authorities on issues affecting our lives,” she said. “But this time around, we are now empowered and we’ll also take a step to preach to our fellow youths by conducting awareness on the importance of this link — so that together, we should end all the challenges hindering out human rights.”
One of the developers of the link, Yusuf Chimone said the App will help in many ways such as solving some of the problems within sexual reproductive health domain by allowing people to have access to information that they not able to even when they tried to visit health facilities.
Victims will also be given an opportunity to report gender-based cases and do some follow ups on a certain case,” he said, adding that they are currently piloting the App within Blantyre but are planning to expand it to other districts.
“Though we have not fully finalised it, we have some good feedback from Blantyre-based residents and we are very much overwhelmed,” he said. “We are hoping to have everything to share to the public by early 2023.”
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