Adolescents are an “invisible” group in the South African health system.
This is one of the conclusions of a young student from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in America that visited the Sunflower Children’s Hospice in Bloemfontein for his research.
Ethan Harned (21), who have been working for Global Partners in Care for the last two and a half years, came to South Africa on grants to study the ways that adolescents with HIV receive palliative care.
The Sunflower House who has a partnership with Global Partners in Care, see and help a large number of children and youth with HIV in its community programmes.
Harned said going out into the community with Sunflower House staff members, gave him a very clear picture of the challenges that children and young adolescents face.
During his six weeks in Bloemfontein, he met with adolescents with HIV, their families, community programmes, doctors working in HIV and public health, a health economist, a data analyst and many others.
“The health care system focusses on pediatrics and a variety of care for adults. There is no spesific focus on adolescents and they tend to get lost in the system.”
Joan Marston, founder of Sunflower House, says that HIV is increasing among young adults.
“They are faced daily with violence, trauma and gangs. HIV is a real threat in their lives,” she says.
“The stigma about HIV is still very strong and these adolescents often default on antiretroviral therapy because they do not want people to see them in the queue getting their medicine.”
Harned said there is a need for more policies to give adolescents better care and protection.
He said he enjoyed his time in Bloemfontein and met wonderful people.
