National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Binta Sanni | Kwara
The Kwara Government has advocates for sexual education early to enhance young people’s understanding and improvement in their attitudes about sexual and reproductive health and behaviour.
Dr Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, stated this on Thursday in Ilorin, during a news conference organized to mark the 2022 International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW).
She noted that this year’s theme is entitled:” Building a Case for the Visibility of Adolescents in Nigeria while Positioning from Pre-Pandemic to a Life Shaped by Pandemic”.
She stated that commemoration of the week are part of the efforts to further sensitize Adolescents in ensuring that they are better informed and conscious of their health status as a result of changes in their body.
Elelu explained that adolescent care is extremely essential because it is the formative age, where body changes occured and any decision made at the time can make or mar the person’s life.
“The State Government believe that it is essential for adolescent to understand their body and implication of actions they take which can either be good or bad.
She stressed that the Agency is strategizing on having adolescent care Centres in the core Primary Health care Centres in the state.
This, she said, will give them a chance for privacy devoid of stigmatization to express their feelings and challenges, so as to get the necessary total care.
Also speaking, Mrs Tosin Apiriola, the Adolescent Executive Director of Women Environment and Youth Development Initiative (WOYODEV), added that adolescent age is a delicate period in life.
She emphasised the need for adolescents to be given attention and listened to, adding that they need to learn how to take care of themselves and speak out to the appropriate persons who will not take advantage of them.
Mrs. Elizabeth Gabi, the Desk Officer of Adolescent, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, added that the week is a grassroots initiative for young people, their health care providers, their teachers, their parents and their communities.
“It’s an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate young people with an ultimate goal of working collectively towards improving the health and well-being of over one billion adolescents across the globe,” she said.
She pointed out that the outreach was carried out at Ministries, Churches, Mosques and secondary schools among others.
