Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) is equipping health care providers with the clinical management of rape, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors.

Demeter Margret Namuyobo, RHU Medical Coordinator says after acquiring support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), RHU embarked on mentoring health service providers in the clinical management of rape and SGBV survivors in some regions of Uganda.

So far, the districts of Amudat, Abim, Kotido, Kampala and Moroto have benefited from the trainings, because of the urgent need for clinical skills among health care providers, cases of rape, sexual and gender-based violence.

This comes after increasing cases of rape and SGBV were reported from Karamoja, and central regions in 2020, following the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic. According to the Uganda Police Force 2020 crimes report the number of Sex Related Crimes in 2020 rose to 16,144 case compared to 15,638 cases reported in 2019.

Although these areas rank high in cases of rape, violence and defilement, they also practice female genital mutilation (FGM), which a form of gender violence.

Gimono Haddy, a Health care services provider at Loro health Centre II in Amudat district says the knowledge acquired from the RHU training funded by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will help her serve the community, especially victims of rape and SGBV in Loro parish and the surrounding areas.

“I have acquired skills about how to communicate with rape and SGBV survivors, many of them fear to disclose to us upon coming to the health centre because in Amudat, sex is practiced culturally without consent. They fear to be punished by the elders in the kraals” Gimono says.

Catherine Asio, in charge of Alakas Health Centre II says the knowledge acquired from the RHU – UNFPA training will help her and the team handle swabs taken from survivors carefully before the 72 hours elapse, but also protect them from not getting spoilt.

“we face a challenge of handling virginal swabs taken from survivors of rape and SGBV, but after this training, we can use the specimen collection kit or refer the swabs immediately to the health Centre IV in time for storage” Asio says.

The trainings and other RHU – UNFPA funded activities are going on until December 2021.

Participants who attended the clinical management of rape and SGBV mentorship at Loro Health Centre II