The government on Wednesday launched a health programme for adolescents, in the age group of 10-19 years, which would target their nutrition, reproductive health and substance abuse, among other issues.

The Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakram programme for 343 million adolescents (21 per cent of the country’s population) was launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Azad said the programme would initially cater to reproductive sexual health of adolescents in select government facilities and later expanded to include nutrition, injuries and violence, including gender-based violence, non-communicable diseases, mental health and substance abuse.

The scheme would introduce community-based interventions through peer educators and is underpinned by collaborations with other ministries and state governments, knowledge partners and more research, he said.

Referring to RMNCH+A (Reproductive, Maternal, New born, Child Health+Adolescent) unveiled last year in Mahabalipuram, the Health Minister said the new focus on adolescents was in recognition of the fact that without adolescent health, maternal and child health outcomes continue to be affected.

The Health Secretary, Keshav Desiraju, said the programme would move away from a ‘doctor-driven’ effort towards a holistic and participative programme. The programme recognises that all adolescents need attention even before the occurrence of any disease or problem, and in order to make informed decisions and choices, he said.

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