Global meet focuses on a healthy and young India

NEW DELHI: The spotlight will be on India’s 253 million adolescents this week when global experts meet at the World Congress on Adolescent Health in New Delhi from October 27-29.

India is home to close to one in five of the world’s 1.2 billion adolescents.

Adolescence, which begins with puberty and continues till the mid-twenties, is a period that encapsulates major changes related to critical life events, such as moving from education to employment, and the formation of new relationships, families and parenting.

“Adolescence is a critical life stage when investments made in nutrition, quality education and physical and mental health can offer profound dividends in adult life,“said Dr Susan Sawyer, president, International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH).

More than one million adolescents die globally each year, with road traffic accidents and drowning, self-harm, interpersonal violence, communicable diseases and teenage pregnancy being some of the major causes of death.

“The National Health Mission guidelines on adolescent health are a step forward in ensuring a healthy, young India. The various aspects of adolescent health... are being addressed through various programmes and initiatives,” says Sushma Dureja, deputy commissioner (Adolescent Health), Union health ministry. The World Congress, which is supported by the health ministry, will discuss India’s adolescent health programmes, such as Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) and its impact.