MoH, partners to launch adolescent health guide

The Ministry of Health and its partners on Wednesday launched the adolescent, sexual and reproductive health guide dubbed “Understanding Adolescence: a Guide for Adolescents.”

The guide is designed to aid adolescents to cope with emotional, social or physical challenges.

Speaking during the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the guide is a result of a long and tedious process by experts from his ministry and the Ministry of Education, adolescents, religious leaders, parents of adolescents, media, teachers, Civil Society Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations and local community leaders.

“Although adolescence is considered a period when an individual should enjoy a healthy life, many teenagers die prematurely or suffer long-term health complications as a result 5 of preventable or treatable causes, such as teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS,” Kagwe said.

Poor decisions by adolescents

The CS said many young people make unguided and poor decisions on matters regarding their sexual and reproductive health due to a lack of accurate information on issues around sexual and reproductive health.

Kagwe said the launch of the guide marks a great milestone toward providing culturally competent, age-appropriate reproductive health education to adolescents in Kenya.

“This guide can be considered as a guide to life. This guide provides useful and critical information about the unique challenges and solutions that come with growth and development as an adolescent,” he added.

The CS further urged the adolescents to familiarise themselves with the guide.

“This guide empowers you by giving you information to navigate the murky waters of adolescence. It also helps you to understand your rights as a Kenyan adolescent so as to avoid any kind of violation from any person.

“By reading this guide, it is my hope that you will increase your knowledge about your body’s growth and development,” he said.