Abstract:
The study assessed the availability and utilization of Sexual Reproductive Health Services (SRHS) among Female Sex Workers (FSWs), using a case study of Mzimba Township. The study’s objectives were to examine the perceptions of FSWs towards the availability and utilization of SRHS, explore how SRHS are provided and investigate how the provision of SRHS affect the life of FSWs in Mzimba Township. The study used mixed methodology and involved 30 FSWs from six bars and three brothels. Participants were identified through purposive and snow balling sampling: there were 12 SRHS coordinators from five health facilities, eight from private and four from government hospitals that offer SRHS. Registers from youth-friendly health services, HTC, and family planning departments were reviewed. Twenty-nine FSWs visits to Government hospitals were recorded under the Family planning department and 20 FSWs visits were recorded at private clinics in a month. The study found that SRHS are partially available to FSWs at private clinics and totally available at government hospitals. The FSWs registered more utilization of contraceptives, sexual transmitted infections treatment and screening and antiretroviral therapy treatment services than any other SRHS. SRHS are provided to FSWs through an integrated approach at the government hospital and a non-integrated approach at private clinics. The utilization of SRHS improves the health of FSWs and does not negatively affect their social life. However, some FSWs stated that the use of condoms reduced their income level while others stated that the use of contraceptives generally increased their income. The study recommends that government hospitals, being the primary provider of SRHS need to design programs which specifically target the provision of SRHS to FWS’s, programs which can monitor SRH behaviours of FSWs because they can frustrate efforts in addressing HIV/AIDs including STIs in Mzimba Township and beyond because of their mobility.
