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BRIEFING TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 16 SEPTEMBER 2009. BRIEFING TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION. High level policy and legislative framework Relevant policy and treatment guidelines

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BRIEFING TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

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  1. NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 16 SEPTEMBER 2009 BRIEFING TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

  2. OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION • High level policy and legislative framework • Relevant policy and treatment guidelines • Services provided by the Dept of Health • 16 days of activism – participation by the Dept of health

  3. HIGH LEVEL POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK • Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW) • The Beijing Platform of Action • CRS • Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child • Constitution of the Republic of South Africa • Domestic violence Act 116 or 1998 • National Health Act of 2003 • The Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Act of 2008 • Sexual Offences Act • The Children’s Act

  4. RELEVANT DOH POLICIES &TREATMENT GUIDELINES • National Sexual Assault Policy Guidelines (2005) • Training manual for clinical forensic medicine (2007) • Gender Policy Guidelines for public health services • Service Charter for booklets for victims of crime in South Africa • Patients Rights Charter • Draft guidelines on management of child abuse, neglect and exploitation • Household and community Integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMCI)

  5. SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DOH • Injuries and trauma seen at primary health care facilities, outpatients departments of hospitals and emergency/casualty departments of hospitals • All public hospitals and more than 50% of community health centres have been designated to provide services to victims of sexual assault and abuse, this includes the provision of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) • 10 Thuthuzela centres (located within public hospitals) • Accreditation of youth friendly services • Referrals are made to social workers and psychologists as appropriate

  6. CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE • The Department provides clinical forensic medicine services to victims of sexual abuse in all provinces • In order to capacitate health professionals to be able to provide this service we have trained 450 doctors and nurses to ensure that they are sensitive to psychological state of victims, on how to take a history, how to take specimen and on legal and ethical issues – we need to ensure for example that their evidence can stand a legal test

  7. PARTICIPATION IN 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN • November 2008: DOH participated in the event held in the NW • Health education, awareness raising, family planning and other related services were provided • During August 2009: a process to involve men in sexual and reproductive health was initiated in all provinces – this will culminate in the launch of a workplace-based Men’s Health Forum in November during the 16 days of activism

  8. CHALLENGES • Need to further strengthen intersectoral collaboration especially at district level, including referral systems • Need to expand training of health workers • Need to provide facilities that are conducive to treating patients that are traumatised, including privacy (many facilities are old and not suitable to counselling) • Strengthen follow-up services to ensure that survivors are not repeat victims

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