In a bid to promote the sexual well-being of Cape Town communities, the Embassy of Japan in South Africa handed over a mobile clinic to the Partners in Sexual Health (PSH) on Thursday, April 25th, 2019.
“Initiatives such as this one have a direct effect on the community. The mobile clinic will ensurethat all community members, even those that are far from the district and municipal clinics, have access to HIV testing, pregnancy testing and family planning resources. Partners in SexualHealth will also be better equipped in fighting against the HIV epidemic,” says Mr Yasushi Naito,Counsellor of the Consul of Japan in Cape Town.
The mobile clinic is the latest in the series of funding initiatives by the Government of Japan, through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) funding scheme, which has been funding development projects in South Africa since 1990.
“The GGP is intended to assist NGOs and local authorities in addressing development needs ina prompt and comprehensive manner in areas such as social development, education, health, basic infrastructure and a variety of other local needs,” says Naito.
To date, about 640 GGP projects, have been implemented throughout South Africa, in order to address various basic human needs at the grassroots level.
PSH is a non-profit organisation (NPO) that provides sexual and reproductive health and champions for the rights of people in disadvantaged communities. The NPO also offers mental and physical health wellness programmes aimed at preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes, reducing HIV/AIDS infections, TB and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
South Africa has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world, with an estimated 7.1 million people or 18.9% of the population living with HIV.
But South Africa is also making huge strides in getting people to test for HIV in recent years and now has 86% of people aware of their status.
Every year, in November, the GGP opens applications for all qualifying NGOs, education institutions, health institutions and local governments.
“The GGP has been very effective in rolling out projects that uplift and better the various communities. We are honoured to have partnered up with PSH in positively affecting the lives
of community members and in bringing vital resources closer to those who need it most,”concludes Naito.
For further information contact the GGP Section (ggp@pr.mofa.go.jp) of the Embassy of Japan in Pretoria. Tel: (+27) 12452 1500/ Fax: (+27) 12460 1631 or consult the web-site:http://www.za.emb-Japan.go.jp/en/Japan_SA/ODA.html