A Reproductive Health Unit will be established in Suva next year to raise more awareness among Fiji’s youths.

The initiative which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation will  provide consistent reproductive support especially to young girls and women in the country.

Minister Dr Jiko Luveni said access to services is one of the key thematic areas of the ministry’s empowerment programs for women and there needs to be more work done in terms of addressing the health issues of women and young girls in Fiji.

“This Unit is dedicated to raise awareness and empower young people to effectively address the issues relating their reproductive health,” Dr Luveni said.

She said the Unit aims to provide reproductive health programs, targeting women and young people in rural and maritime areas.

“In particular, we will be targeting young girls who are out there in the rural areas who may be facing challenges in accessing health services and we hope to help them overcome barriers like culture that may prevent them from addressing issues concerning their reproductive health.”

Dr Luveni said one of the key issues that would be addressed through the new Unit is unintended pregnancies among teenage girls.

300 rural youths will be trained as agents for promoting reproductive health programs by the unit which will be based at the ministry’s headquarters in Suva.

By Reginald Chandar