Take charge of your sexual and reproductive health
05 February 2021
The City of Cape Town’s clinics noted a 250% increase in the number of women who visited for a cervical smear from June to November 2020, and bolstered by these figures, City Health is encouraging everyone to take charge of their sexual and reproductive health. February is Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)/Condom Month and women and men alike are encouraged to have health checks.
‘The number of women who visited a clinic for a cervical smear jumped from 690 in June to 2 424 in November last year. This is indicative of the fact that many women are managing their own health and are making use of the options available to them. However, men also need to start taking ownership of their sexual and reproductive well-being,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
This year’s theme is ‘We’re in this together, Cheka Impilo’.
‘Cheka Impilo is a national health campaign which loosely translated means to have a health check. The campaign challenges each one of us to be aware of our health and to be responsible for our own health choices. Sexually transmitted infections remain a big problem and can affect your reproductive health in the future. Most of these infections can be cured, but stigma and the reluctance to talk about sex and related issues openly, hinder people from seeking treatment in time. The consequences of not seeking treatment can be devastating and life threatening.
‘You can get an STI even if you have sex only once with an infected partner. Untreated STIs can cause infertility, cancer of the sex organs, affect an unborn baby, cause mental illness or damage to the heart and kidneys. It is also important to know your HIV status and testing is available at all clinics. The sooner you are diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Figures from City Health show a decrease in new STI cases from 37 847 in the 2018/2019 financial year to 34 203 in the 2019/2020 financial year.
Condom use among both men and women also decreased. The use of male condoms dropped from 43,4 million to 30,6 million and the use of female condoms dropped from 959 121 to 954 599 in the respective financial years, which could be attributed to people staying at home as per the health directive and fewer visits to clinics during the festive season.
‘Practicing safe sex is a priority if you’re sexually active. While our circumstances don’t allow us to move around as we would like, I want to encourage people to continue their clinic visits within the health protocols where condoms are provided free of charge.
‘In addition, the number of recorded STIs is not always a true reflection of the situation. Women may show no symptoms for some time and therefore not know they have an STI. Sexual and reproductive health care should be a part of our regular healthcare routine. Any illness has an impact on our physical, mental and emotional well-being, so it’s important to ensure the health of the whole body,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
City clinics provide services and medication free of charge and many facilities have dedicated time slots for youth-related health services, which is usually in the afternoons after school.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
