For the first time in Manipur, adolescent-friendly clinics would be set up at the community health centre and primary health centre of every district for timely examination and treatment of health problems, official sources said today.

These AFCs would help reduce the health hazards faced by youngsters, which they may not disclose to their parents, particularly sexual problems.

The rate of transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C through sexual route is high and adolescents are shy about talking sexual health matters with their parents or elders in Manipuri society.

Sources said no effective policy could be implemented in Manipur which adolescents could be imparted proper knowledge about sexual-related matters, adding that AFCs would to some extent mitigate the problems after they are set up in November this year.

Deputy Director of state health service Ibemcha Devi said AFCs were part of the adolescent reproductive health programmes being implemented under reproductive child health and national rural health mission.

She said these programmes were taken up in view of the increasing cases of sexual problems before marriage, early marriage, infections in reproductive tract, abortions etc.

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