The Creation of YUVA – The future

Adolescents constitute almost 1/4th of the population and India has the largest no of Adolescents at present making our country the youngest country in the world. It is time to focus on the Adolescent health. Initiatives have to be taken to cater to the Adolescent needs in the public health system with out reach activities in the community.

Realizing the need to create a platform for Preventive, Promotive and Curative Health for Adolescents, an initiative was taken to create YUVA - The future.... an Information, Guidance and Health Centre for Teens at Institute of Child Health Niloufer Hospital for Woman and Children at Hyderabad. The first of its kind in the state of Andhra Pradesh

Adolescent Clinic at Niloufer Hospital was started on 2nd May 2002 and was functioning twice weekly. The clinic was basically addressing medical problems in children of 10 to 19yrs. The centre needed to be more Adolescent friendly with attractive interiors, trendy furniture, privacy, confidentiality and away from the general OPD with trained empathetic, understanding and non judgmental staff with convenient timings, keeping the adolescent psychology in mind. An effort was made to make the Teen clinic youth friendly to attract more adolescent with more wider problems and issues.

A Project proposal was made to the state NRHM to create post for medical officer, Counselors, psychosocial workers, out reach workers, Data manager etc. Advocacy at various levels for Adolescent health had to be done. Other departments were also approached. The woman development and child welfare has come forward for support with continuing advocacy. Other department and NGO s are also showing favourable response. In the mean time a portion in the new block (ESR) of Niloufer Hospital was taken up for renovation to create youth friendly ambience.

The Youth Information Centre (YIC) is now open all the days with a male and a female Counselor, three consultant pediatricians, with Gynecologist Psychologist, career guidance and legal experts on call. A help line is also being organized to reach out to adolescent in distress. On an average every day 10 to 15 adolescent are visiting the centre with varied problems, like obesity; anemia, depression, dysmenorrhoea, sexual and reproductive problems. Stress related to studies, relation ships and media is also common among the urban young. Awareness regarding their rights is poor or misunderstood. Data can be analyzed to give guidelines to the policy makers in the local area.

The vision of Yuva is to access every young, listen to every young person who wants to express and seek information, who is not comfortable at home or school to open up. The vision of YUVA is also to become a model centre for adolescent health and research and training centre on adolescent health in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Hope we grow stronger with more support and become a source of strength for our youth... the future.