Himachal runs special health centres for adolescents

Special health centres are running in Himachal Pradesh under the National Adolescent Health Programme to solve problems of youths, an official said on Sunday.

Consultation and treatment are being provided to adolescent juveniles in all regional and zonal hospitals through counselling, state National Health Mission Director Manmohan Sharma said in a statement.

He said adolescents were coming daily at the Kishor Mitra Health Centers for consultation and treatment of de-addiction and other sexual disorders.

According to him, consultations in all juvenile-related health centres are being provided on issues like nutrition, puberty, reproduction transmitted infections and prevention of sexually transmitted infections and delays in birth control and child birth.

Iron folic acid and albendazole tablets, sanitary napkins, contraceptives and essential medicines are also being provided.

Awareness activities are organised during the rural health and nutrition day on the appropriate age of marriage and adverse health consequences of teenage pregnancy.

Health education sessions are organised in schools and communities.

In order to make these clinics adolescent friendly, the state government has named them Youth Consultation Centres.

--IANS

vg/ksk/mr