To address problems of adolescents, special Health Centres ‘Kishore Mitra Health Centres’ have been started under National Adolescent Health programme.

Himachal Pradesh National Health Mission Director Manmohan Sharma said here on Sunday said that the ‘Kishore Mitra Health Centres’ aim to help teenagers to get rid of social evils and to choose the right direction in life.
Many adolescents are coming for consultation and treatment of de-addiction and other sexual disorders in these centres daily, he added.

Sharma said, “These centres are working to solve the various problems of adolescents in the state and are providing consultation and treatment services are being provided to adolescent juveniles in all regional or zonal hospitals of the state through counselling of health-related problems.”

Consultation services through trained counsellors in all juvenile-related health centres established in Regional or Zonal hospitals of the state are being provided on important health issues such as nutrition, puberty, reproduction transmitted infections and prevention of sexually transmitted infections and delays in birth control and birth and child birth.

Iron-folic acid and albendazole, sanitary napkins, contraceptives and essential medicines are also being provided.

Serious malnutrition, problems related to reproduction, sexually transmitted infections, menstrual disturbances, sexual anxiety, mental health care and mental stress, treatment of non-transitive diseases and other common ailments, abuse of narcotics, control and treatment of non-transmitted diseases such as hypertension, diabetes are being cured by trained medical officers, he informed.

Awareness activities are organised during the rural health and nutrition day on the appropriate age of marriage and adverse health consequences of teenage pregnancy, he said, adding that Health education sessions are organized in schools and communities.

Iron Folic acid is provided in these centres to reduce maternal death in adolescent girls and prevention of anaemia through nutrition counselling is done, said he. Doctor specialists are providing extensive treatment to reduce the proportion of sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV-positive cases in adolescence besides curing general genital infection or sexually transmitted infections, he informed.

To prevent HIV infection and consultation is established for Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) facilities, he said, adding that treatment of menstrual irregularities and sexual concerns of adolescence is being ensured in this specialised institution.