0800 4 6 INFO

Crown Public Health

0800 4 6 INFO

Access to sexual health information for sexually active teens just got easier with the launch of an 0800 number in Christchurch today.

With the second highest pregnancy rate in the developed world and eight percent of the under 15 population sexually active, Canterbury¹s Crown Public Health hopes the new health line will help curb the number of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

"The 0800 number gives people information about sexual health services in the Canterbury and West Coast regions at the push of a button. It will let them know the opening hours of the health centre, what services they provide and their phone number," says Ann Vanschevensteen.

"The fact that it¹s an 0800 number also means young people, who are notorious for using cellphones, can still get through for free."

The 0800 4 6 Info line is the first of its kind in New Zealand to incorporate a number of different sexual health providers in Christchurch, the West Coast, Timaru, Ashburton and Kaikoura.

Minister of Youth Affairs, Laila Harre will launch the new sexual health line and is positive it will give young people easier access to information on sexual health services.

A contraception poster developed by Crown Public Health will also be launched today.

The poster aims to make young people, especially women, aware of the contraception choices available and the risks of becoming pregnant and its social implications.

"The poster is a reality based poster with a photo of a young woman with contraception in one half and a baby in the other to show the difference in choice. It has been developed with young people and is purposely quite hard hitting," says Ms Vanschevensteen

Media are invited to attend the launch on Thursday 10 May at 10:30am at the 198 Youth Health Centre, 198 Hereford Street.

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