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Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, and Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth, have unveiled an automated contraceptive vending machine that aims at increasing access to sexual reproductive health and HIV prevention services for young girls and women.
The machine, which the department has described as a first of its kind in South Africa, is situated at the busy Shell Ultra City in Mthatha.
It was officially launched by Dhlomo and Meth on April 10.
Dhlomo said government decided to launch the machine in the OR Tambo District, as it is one of the National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot districts, and the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality was showing an alarmingly high rate of teenage pregnancy.
According to the Department of Health, more than 11 500 girls between the ages of 10 and 15 gave birth at public health facilities between 2020 and 2023.
“This automated machine is an add-on to the youth zones government has been rolling out in hospitals and clinics, and is meant to give access to family planning and HIV prevention services without the need to queue to access services,” said Dhlomo.
He added that the machine was part of ongoing efforts by the government to improve uptake of various methods of contraception in response to the scourge of teenage pregnancy,that Dhlomo described as another pandemic in the country.
The automated vending machine carries a variety of oral contraceptives, such as Nordette, Triphasil, Microval, Ovral and emergency contraceptives/Morning After pills.
It also offers HIV prevention services such as HIV self-testing kits, as well as lubricants, male and female condoms, pregnancy tests and sanitary towels.
All services can be accessed from the automated vending machine, free of charge.
Meth said she was happy that the first of its kind machine was launched in the Eastern Cape and the OR Tambo District Municipality.
“The King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality is an economic hub of the OR Tambo District, and attracts a lot of people such as students in universities and tourists, so we brought the facility here to ensure that young girls have easy access to sexual reproductive health services,” said Meth.
She said they will soon launch another machine of this type in Nyandeni Local Municipality, to ensure rural people also have access to services offered by the vending machine.
Products offered by the machine are accessed through a three-step process.
Firstly, the user must send a “please call me” to LoveLife on 083 323 1023.
Secondly, LoveLife calls the sender and asks for their details, and then a unique code is sent to the user’s phone number.
That code is then punched in to the vending machine, to dispense the product the user is looking to access.
