Adolescent-friendly health service ineffective in Parbat

Parbat: The adolescent friendly health service has not been operated effectively in the Parbat district.

The programme was operational to deliver service to adolescents from 13 health facilities in the district since last year. Though the programme was implemented in providing health services and counselling to vulnerable adolescents, it has not turned out to be effective due to a lack of competent human resources, proper management, privacy protection and information and communications gaps.

Lately, adolescents have witnessed mental health complications, drug abuse and suicidal tendency in the villages. The trends are leading to several tragic incidents in society. In the lack of necessary coordination and collaboration between health facilities and schools, adolescents have come across such problems, informed Acting Office Chief at Health Office Parbat, Santosh Paudel. Counsellors said those facing such problems can get rid of risks with timely counselling services.

As per the official statistics, the district has a total of 21,000 adolescents population with 10-19 years of age. According to the District Police Office, eight adolescents below 20 years had committed suicide and two were caught in drug abuse cases in the current fiscal year. Likewise, the district hospital data showed that 26 adolescent girls below 20 had received abortion services.

The District Health Office said the intensity of such problems would lower if the families of the adolescent girls timely provided proper counselling services. The roles of other organizations connected to the future of adolescents are also not effective in dealing with such burning problems. Coordinator of District Coordination Committee Bishnu Ram BK said the problems that surfaced among adolescents could be reduced if different organizations put their efforts to make this programme effective.

At the adolescent-friendly health service review programme hosted by the District Health Office, he stressed the need to reach out to the programme in schools. He pledged to extend possible support in running such programmes in the coming days. —