A Consultative workshop held on SRH Health Services.
Hawassa University in collaboration with Sidama Region Public Health Institute (PHI) and Brighton and Sussex Medical School of UK organizes a consultative workshop on identifying the gaps in research, policy, and practice to enhance Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services, on September 25, 2023.
The workshop was part of the collaborative initiative known as 'The Frailty Project,' implemented in conjunction with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the Centre for Global Health Research at Sussex University in the UK.
The primary objective of the workshop was to deliberate on the findings of 'The Frailty Project,' which has focused on various aspects of HIV and STIs in East Africa and Ethiopia, as well as the barriers and facilitators to addressing HIV and STIs in South Ethiopia. The project also delved into studies concerning the incidence of non-communicable diseases among aging patients receiving HIV care in Southern Ethiopia, lung function assessments, and the identification of gaps in research, policy, and practice to enhance SRH services.
Dr. Tafesse Matewos, the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer at Hawassa University, underscored in his opening speech that Hawassa University has a remarkable legacy of 47 years of commitment to education, research, and community services in Ethiopia. Dr. Tafesse remarked that the University has identified its strategic focus areas as Agriculture, Health, Physical Sciences, STEM, and Social Sciences, being poised to be one of the eight research-intensive Ethiopian universities. Highlighting HU's robust international collaborations, Dr. Tafesse mentioned that there are 82 active collaborative projects at the moment among which 14 were secured recently. He said that these projects contribute significantly to research, teaching, community service, and capacity development efforts of the university.
Jaime Vera, Professor in communicable diseases and HIV from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, provided an enlightening global perspective on STIs and HIV. The presentation emphasized the severe health consequences of STIs, including complications during pregnancy, infertility, and their role as risk factors for HIV transmission. Prof. Vera also talked about STI syndromes, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up procedures, and proposed solutions.
Professor Endrias Markos, Principal Investigator of the project, also shared insights into Ethiopia's approach to HIV and STIs. He highlighted domestic efforts, international partnerships, interventions, initiatives, and strategies aimed at combating these health challenges.
Dr. Andargachew Kassa, co-Investigator of the project, also presented findings on community engagement, response to HIV and STI and principles of community engagement at the workshop.
