7.7 Making health facilities more youth friendly
In North Macedonia there is no special rule aiming to regulate the interior of health facilities. However, in order to make the surroundings more suitable for children and young people, medicine staff who work in children's clinics and pediatric departments in hospitals organize the interior of the children's and youth's offices in order to be more youth friendly.
Occasionally, doctors who have more influential status in society collect charities from companies and Еmbassies and different organizations for gathering resources which are later used to make health facilities more youth friendly.
Also, before New Year, there is humanitarian action for gathering Christmas gifts for hospitalized children in some of the departments within the hospitals.
Sexual and reproductive health clinic especially for young people was opened by the CSO Health Education and Research Association (HERA) in cooperation with Health Home Skopje and with financial support of international donors in 2005, followed by a second in 2006. These are based on the “I want to know” model originally used with Roma youth. The centers offer free and confidential sexual health services to young people, and have had a high uptake. Since January 2018 these centers are also part of preventive programs of the Ministry of Health.
Having in mind that young people are not always feeling comfortable to go on a regular psychologist or gynecologist, in Youth Centers “I want to know” (one in Vodno and one in Shuto Orizari), in these youth centers they can get the following services for free:
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Gynecological examinations and counseling (diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, administration of therapy and contraception, echo examination);
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Dermato- venereologica examinations (cryotherapy, diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, administration of therapy);
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HIV testing;
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Psychological counseling;
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Peer education / education with a pedagogue;
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Distribution of condoms and educational materials;
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Counseling center for the prevention of drug use.