‘Church vital in sexual health advocacy’

RELIGIOUS and faith leaders in Livingstone are reliable partners in advocating easy accessibility of Sexual Reproductive Health Commodities in communities. The Medicines Research and Access Platform (MedRAP) has said.

(MedRAP), is a Non- Governmental Organization whose objective is to strengthen health systems in Zambia, which has engaged church leaders to play the role of advocacy in Livingstone through Sexual Reproductive Health Commodities (SHRC).

Liyoka Liyoka, who is MedRAP national coordinator, said that the organisation was training Church leaders in Livingstone to equip them with knowledge on how best they could sensitize their members and communities in general on issues of SHRC.

In an interview with the Daily Nation in Livingstone yesterday, Mr Liyoka said that the church was an important stakeholder in MedRAP’s governance systems as well as in the health coverage of citizens in the country.

“This is the reason why we bring in the church and share with them the fundings of our report study so that they can understand the challenges communities have in accessing Sexual Reproductive Health Commodities in Zambia,” Mr Liyoka said.

And Livingstone Pastors Fellowship Chairperson, Oscar Muyunda, said the Church occupied a special place in society and was able to effectively advocate for the accessibility of Sexual Reproductive Health Commodities in Zambia.

Pastor Muyunda said through the Church, it was easy for spiritual leaders to engage policy-makers.