ILOILO CITY - At least two sundown clinics will be established to serve the health needs of adolescents in the city before the end of this year for the reproductive health needs of the millennials.
Department of Health Regional Director Marlyn Convocar said these facilities will help improve the health needs and services as the local population keeps growing and health services will have to be upgraded.
The sundown clinics will accept adolescent patients from 5 to 11 p.m. and on weekends as the youth have no time to seek consultation and health services during daytime.
The Iloilo City Social Hygiene sundown clinic is expected to open by September 2016 while its nongovernment organization partner, the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) Iloilo Chapter has been operating its sundown clinic for two years to help adolescents on their sexuality problems.
There is an existing three free of charge hubs for HIV counseling and testing in Western Visayas Medical Center, city social hygiene clinic and at the FPOP.
The health department will also open up its website, the AH Connect, to answer queries and reach out to the young people ages 15 to 24 years old.
Convocar admitted the active activities of the youth may lead to illegal drugs and unsafe sex.
Teenage pregnancy is becoming a problem in all cities and provinces of Western Visayas while addiction to illegal drugs is on the rise.
In Convocar’s message at the partners and stakeholders meeting on August 2 in the penthouse of the Iloilo City Hall, Convocar said her department is trying a different approach to register the slogan of Duterte’s government that “Change is Coming” even in health services.