1. Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health South African Medical Students’ Association (SAMSA)
Vikar Singh

2. SAMSA dates back to the 1960’s, previously called “The Association for Medical Students South Africa/ AMSSA”
Recently the Association ran from 2001 until 2010 at which it dissolved as a national body
Subsequently, in 2013, a group of medical students from across the country came together to initiate the re-establishment of SAMSA
Please visit the organisation website for more information on the organisation and its activities :

3. SAMSA
SAMSA is a registered Non-Profit Company as per the Company’s Act 71, 2008
Four Pillars of SAMSA:
1. Student Representation
2. Outreach
3. Collaboration
4. Professional Development
A platform enabling medical students to be a force of positive change in the nation

4. Current Associate Organisations
International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA)
Largest organisation representing medical students worldwide and represents more than 1.2 million medical students from 123 countries.
Please visit the organisation website for more information :
SAMSA
SLeMSA
Le Souk
IFMSA-Kurdistan

5. South African Medical Association (SAMA)
Currently the major representative body for healthcare professionals in South Africa SAMA is a close associate of SAMSA and we do integrate and interact with SAMA on a regular basis.

6. NATIONAL OFFICERS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
SAMSA Structure
SAMSA NATIONAL
NEC
NATIONAL OFFICERS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
NEC – National Executive Committee

7. Standing committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health Including HIV/AIDS (SCORA)

8. SCORA FOCUS AREAS: Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Violence against women
Maternal Health
Access to safe abortion,
Combating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS

9. Adolescent Views on SRHR

10. Formal high school education Knowledge from parents
Current Life orientation curriculum only includes 2 hours of sexual and reproductive health topics from grades 10 – 12.
Knowledge from parents
Knowledge from parents is often inadequate due to cultural and social stigma
ADOLESCENT KNOWLEDGE ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Information from health care facilities
Improvement is youth friendly health facilities and improvement in attitudes of health care workers.
Gathering knowledge from friends and media
Often is the only avenue of gaining SRH knowledge and could be distorted

11. FANTASTIC study conducted in Greater Giyani Municipality, Limpopo province titled : “Factors influencing adolescent pregnancy rate”
According to the study:
60.7% of participants felt that sexual knowledge they receive at school seemed inadequate.
72.1% of participants felt that information shared to health workers did not remain confidential, and
Less than half of all participants said nurses provide information on contraception , and felt that could discuss menstrual problems with nurses.

12. Medical Curricula
Medical curriculum includes minimal training on psychological care and needs (SRH) of Adolescents, LGBTI individuals, and abortion care.
These topics are even stigmatised within the Health care fraternity.
A study conducted at UCT and WSU medical schools on abortion provision found that 11% of participants would not refer a patient under any circumstances to another abortion proivder, whilst 17% would discourage other health care workers to provide abortions. (WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO DO!!!)
UCT – University of Cape Town
WSU – Walter Sisulu University

13. Moving Forward Dialogue and positive discussion is key
This includes improved SRH learning and dialogue that is age appropriate in school curriculum and improved training of teachers, medical doctors and nurses to optimally deal with SRH issues.

14. Annually, 28 September marks the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. The South African Medical Students Association (SAMSA) – Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health including HIV/AIDS (SCORA) , held a workshop on Maternal Health and Access to Safe and Legal Abortion to commemorate this day. The event saw more than 50 medical and nursing students as well as noted individuals from the fields Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Sexual and Reproductive Health come together to present and discuss on numerous topics with Maternal Health and Abortion.

15. Other SAMSA activites
Regular Blood Drives

19. Thank you