Sehonghong Health Centre, a key facility serving 27 villages in Thaba-Tseka district, is grappling with high rates of adolescent pregnancies, cultural barriers, and health challenges linked to nutrition and chronic diseases.
During a recent visit by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and members of parliament, Nurse Midwife and Acting Manager ‘Mamokhoabo Notoane revealed that approximately 60 percent of pregnant women seeking services at the clinic are adolescents.
“If we have 50 pregnant women to provide services to, about 30 of them would be adolescents,” Notoane said. She attributed the high numbers to the large population of out-of-school youth and the absence of specialised infrastructure for young people.
Currently, Sehonghong lacks a designated Youth Corner (Thakaneng), a safe space where young people can access family planning services privately. While school outreaches and contraceptive services are provided with verbal parental consent, the absence of this space discourages many adolescents from seeking help.
Notoane also highlighted cultural challenges among older women, particularly in the context of cervical cancer screenings. Many women aged 70 and above refuse tests, believing they are no longer at risk, or feel uncomfortable being examined by younger nurses.
“The painful thing is they refuse to test,” Notoane said. “They say it is because nurses are still young and they cannot afford to be examined by young people like that.” She stressed that early detection remains critical for effective treatment.
The challenges at Sehonghong go beyond reproductive health. The clinic is also seeing a rise in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
While many patients faithfully take their prescribed medication, their conditions often continue to worsen. Notoane attributed this not to a shortage of medicine, but to poor nutrition.
“The diseases continue to be hard to control, mainly because of poor nutrition,” she explained. In a region where food security is fragile, unhealthy diets are undermining the benefits of modern medicine.
Despite these obstacles, Sehonghong remains a vital resource for the community. Its mini-laboratory provides local testing for TB and HIV, sparing patients long and difficult journeys for basic diagnostics.
Summary
- Sehonghong Health Centre, a key facility serving 27 villages in Thaba-Tseka district, is grappling with high rates of adolescent pregnancies, cultural barriers, and health challenges linked to nutrition and chronic diseases.
- During a recent visit by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and members of parliament, Nurse Midwife and Acting Manager ‘Mamokhoabo Notoane revealed that approximately 60 percent of pregnant women seeking services at the clinic are adolescents.
- She attributed the high numbers to the large population of out-of-school youth and the absence of specialised infrastructure for young people.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
