William Odinga
A CONSCOV team spent the whole of Monday (November 21, 2023) in Obongi district, West Nile sub-region, conducting research and addressing primary and secondary school learners on issues of sexual and reproductive health.
Initially, this BSU research project on the consequences of COVID-19 on the sexual and reproductive health of young people in northern Uganda was supposed to cover Gulu City and Adjumani districts. Following some work among refugees in Adjumani in May this year, however, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which is responsible for refugees in Uganda, through Mr. Titus Jogo, the head of the refugee desk in Adjumani, requested that the project be extended to Obongi especially to reach out to refugee youth and adolescents in that district.
The team arrived in West Nile on Sunday and entered Obongi the following morning. Despite delays due to several bad sections of the road, which also caused damage to one of the team’s cars, it was able to interact with learners at Kali Central Primary School (90 percent are refugees) and Idiwa Parents Secondary School (most of them also refugees).
The CONSCOV project has become popular among young people because of its approach. Apart from research (which includes filling out questionnaires), it gives sexual and reproductive health talks (health education) and in some circumstances, free testing and treatment for the youth and adolescents.
This is made possible through Gulu University’s partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) and Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (GRRH).
The team will spend a week in West Nile carrying out its activities, especially among refugees and the host community.
