| |
|
|
 |
|
| This section provides primary health care and ensures a good quality of life for students. It focuses on the prevention of illness, promotion of a healthy life style and general hygiene. The Polytechnic health service provides the following health development workshops: (1) First Aid Training; (2) Family Planning; and (3) Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). It also provides the following health programmes: (1) Condom Day; (2) Pap Smear and Breast Examination Clinic; (3) Tetanus Toxoid Vaccinations; (4) Tuberculoses Direct Observed Treatment. |
| |
| |
| Health Development Workshops: |
|
|
| First Aid Training |
| First Aid is the skilled application of accepted principles of treatment on the occurrence of any injury or sudden illness using facilities or materials available at the time. It is the approved method of treatment of a casualty until placed in the care of a doctor or taken to hospital. First Aid Training focuses on reasons for First Aid, value for First Aid Training, General directions for giving First Aid. It also focuses on wounds, specific injuries, shock, respiratory emergencies and artificial respiration, swallowed objects and choking, poisoning, drug and their abuse, burns, frostbite and cold exposure, heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion, sudden illness, dressing and bandages, and bone and joint injuries. |
|
| First Aid Training Gallery |
| |
| Family Planning |
| Family planning refers to limitation or spacing of births. Decisions concerning family planning are usually made on an individual basis, taking social and economic factors into account. |
| |
| Family planning workshops focus on different types of contraception methods such as total abstinence from sexual intercourse, barrier methods, condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, spermicides, contraceptive sponges, oral contraceptives, implants and injectable, the intrauterine device (IUDs), sterilization of the male or sterilization of the female and also the importance of pap smears. |
| |
| |
| Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) |
| STIs are transmitted primarily, but not exclusively, by unprotected sexual intercourse. The infected mother to her unborn child may also transmit some STIs during pregnancy and at childbirth HIV and gonorrhoea. Some STIs infect sexual reproductive organs. People who are promiscuous without any protection acquire STIs more often. |
| |
| |
| Health Services Program(s): |
|
|
| Condom Day |
| Condom Day sensitise students regarding condom and femidom usage for protection against STIs. Condom Day focuses on the correct way of using a male condom and the correct way of using the femidom. |
| |
| Pap Smear and Breast Examination Clinics |
| Cervical and breast cancer are very common forms of cancer amongst Namibian women. The majority of the student population as well as the staff component of the Polytechnic are female. Therefore the Polytechnic Health Services under the auspices of the Office of the Dean of Students found it appropriate to initiate these clinics. |
| |
| The objectives for this clinics are: |
| • |
To make women aware that cervical cancer can only be detected by a Pap smear and if diagnosed early, it can be cured. |
| • |
To sensitize women who are sexually active, regardless of their age or marital status to undergo a Pap smear annually. |
| • |
To inform women that by breast examinations lumps can be detected early and be treated. |
| • |
To inform women also that the test will reveal and often the type of infection present in the vagina. |
| |
| A Pap smear or also known as a cell test is a cell specimen taken from the vagina and the cervix (mouth of the uterus) to reveal the presence of cancer cells and infections and often indicates the type of infection present. Cell test has become a routine part of every gynaecological examination, regardless a woman’s age or marital status. The test is painless and is done in a hygienic environment by a qualified nurse. The sample is send to a laboratory where it is examined microscopically. |
| |
| Both breasts of a woman are palpated physically by the nurse to detect any lumps, any discharge from the nipples or puckering, dimpling or scaling of the skin. Discovery of any abnormalities can be treated early. |
| |
| Tetanus Toxoid Vaccinations |
| |
| The tetanus vaccination is offered to protect people against tetanus, a disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium Tetani, which enters the body through an open wound. The toxin affects the central nervous system, sometimes resulting in death. People at risk are, who do not have current immunization against tetanus such as pregnant women, or those who did not receive it within the last ten years. |
| |
| Objectives are: |
| • |
To prevent bacterial infections. |
| • |
To sensitize women between the age of 15 years and 45 years about the importance of the vaccination to ensure safe motherhood. |
| • |
Reduce mortality and morbidity rates. |
| • |
To increase access to tetanus vaccination information and services. |
| |
| Tuberculoses Direct Observed Treatment – Short Course (DOTS) |
| |
| Tuberculosis, a preventable and curable disease, remains one of the biggest health problems in Namibia. Poor TB control, despite existing effective tools, and the HIV epidemic are the two main reasons for the rapid increase in TB cases in Namibia. The MOHSS therefore recognize DOTS as the priority to improve the treatment success rate. |
| |
| DOTS is the most cost-effective public health strategy to fight tuberculosis. The Polytechnic Health Services in conjunction with the MOHSS offer the service to students in order to: |
| |
| Objectives are: |
| • |
Sustain political commitment to TB control, expressed in terms of adequate human and financial resources. |
| • |
Access to a quality assured network of sputum smear microscopy. |
| • |
Standardised short-course chemotherapy for all cases of TB under proper management conditions. |
| • |
Uninterrupted supply of quality assured anti-TB drugs. |
| • |
A recording and reporting system enabling treatment outcome assessment of all patients and assessment of overall programme performance. |
| |
| Recognise positive signs and symptoms of tuberculoses. Early diagnosis and treatment reduces the spread. |
| |
| Most common signs and symptoms of pulmonary tuberculoses are: |
| • |
A persistent cough for three weeks or more. |
| • |
Productive cough |
| • |
Coughing up blood |
| • |
Chest pain |
| • |
Night sweats |
| • |
Shortness of breath |
| • |
Loss of appetite |
| • |
Loss of weight |
| • |
Fever |
| • |
Fatigue |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
