Taking healthcare to the people

Paulia Caring Foundation will have its official launch tomorrow, 8 October, at Okapya village’s Omukwiyu church in the Oshana Region.The organisation will be providing free medical outreach and contraceptive implant insertion to at least 20 patients.Founder Dr Penehafo Kamati said she was born and bred in Okapya village.“Growing up in Okapya, I have seen a lot of young girls drop out of school due to teenage pregnancies; young adults having multiple children with different partners.”Kamati said this motivated her to plough back into her community. “As the saying goes: ‘Charity begins at home but should not end there’,” she told Namibian Sun.Contraceptives tabooShe said growing up and seeing married couples with no income having many children, who end up suffering, has shown her that much needs to be done to educate citizens and afford them an opportunity to provide a better life for their offspring.Kamati insists family planning is crucial.“Husbands deny their wives to be on contraceptives as they feel it is a taboo to control birth. Teenagers get raped by their own uncles, fathers and brothers, ending up with unwanted pregnancies.”Many people in Namibia struggle to reach healthcare centres due to lack of transportation. Kamati said her foundation will bridge this gap by providing health screening to the needy as well as education and support programmes.“To empower the community on how to better care for their health. To teach a girl child how to defend herself from her father, uncle, brother when being touched inappropriately,” she said.Why implants?Kamati said they are expecting to screen at least 80 patients - both children and adults – tomorrow.“We are expecting patients from neighbouring villages as well. We have different types of contraceptives, to name a few: Pills, injectables, condoms, implants, IUDs,” she said.She added that implant contraceptives are convenient as they last for three to five years, are safe while breastfeeding and the woman almost immediately returns to fertility once it is removed.Meanwhile, no routine visits are required until the time of removal, and side effects can be managed.The health ministry is assisting the foundation with contraceptive implants and condoms for the day&#039;s free medical outreach.Oshana governor Elia Irimari is expected to officiate the event.– tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Taking healthcare to the people

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Taking healthcare to the people

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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