By Pontšo Sekhesa
As part of the Hair Salon Project, on April 9, 2025, our Project Coordinator Pontšo Sekhesa was invited to attend a symposium by the Lesotho Ministry of Health, held under the theme “Strengthening Research and Innovation for Resilient Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage”. Below is her report.
The symposium highlighted the critical role of research and evidence in guiding effective health policies. The focus was on leveraging innovation and research to build resilient health systems, particularly in the context of ongoing health challenges.
I was particularly drawn to the discussion on the challenges in accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services among adolescent girls and young women in remote villages in Lesotho, presented by ‘M’e Momororontšane, SolidarMed and the University of Basel.
Key issues highlighted included:
- Transportation barriers
- Poor quality of care provided by healthcare workers
- Stigma and cultural constraints
- Misleading information
- Inconvenient service hours, etc.
I felt connected to this presentation as it sounds intertwined with the Hair Salon Project. If hair salons became a place to offer SRH services, a lot of the barriers mentioned in that presentation would be mitigated. This presentation continued to prove that there is an intervention needed to ensure that young women in rural areas can access essential SRH services without barriers.
The symposium was both informative and inspiring. It provided a valuable platform for learning and the exchange of ideas that are crucial for policy formulation and health systems strengthening. I look forward to integrating some of the insights gained into our ongoing work, especially in areas related to youth and SRH services.
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