Adolescent-friendly health service ineffective in Parbat

Parbat, March 27: The adolescent friendly health service has not been operated effectively in Parbat district. The programme was operational to deliver service to the adolescents from 13 health facilities of the district since last year. Though the programme was implemented in providing health service and counselling to the vulnerable adolescents, it has not turned to be effective due to lack of competent human resource, 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 lack of necessary coordination and collaboration between health facility 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 service.

As per the official statistics, the district has a total of 21,000 adolescent population with 10-19 years age. According to the District Police Office, eight adolescents below 20 years had committed suicide and two caught in drug abuse case in the current fiscal year. Likewise, the district hospital data showed that 26 adolescent girls below 20 had received abortion service. The District Health Office said 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 the adolescents are also not effective in dealing with such burning problems. Coordinator of District Coordination Committee Bishnu Ram BK said the problems 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 coming days.