The Adamawa Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ADSPHCDA), says it has targeted 200,000 adolescents for mainstreaming in primary healthcare to promote healthy living in the state.
Ms Fadimatu Hammanjoda, the Agency’s Adolescent Health and Sexual Reproduction Program Officer, stated this in an address at a one-day workshop in Yola on Thursday.
She said that two health wortkers would be deployed to each of the 403 primary health facilities to create awareness on the imperative adolescent healthcare .
“We will establish adolescent clubs in 266 electoral wards across the 21 local government areas of the state to facilitate effective implementation.
‘We are determined to cover our target in the next three months and by the next year we will cover 400,0000 adolescents,” she said.
According to her, the exercise focuses on sensitizing the adolescents on how to protect themselves against drug abuse, unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
The exercise, she said, also aimed at promoting personal and environmental hygiene as well as educate the adolescents on how to access medical care.
Earlier, Mr Felix Tangwami, the Commissioner for Health, pledged continued government support to facilitate successful implementation of the program.
He described adolescents as the most vulnerable group of people prone to diseases due to their attitudes and character hence the need for the exercise.
He said that adolescents represent about 31.7 per cent of the 1.6 million population of the state.
“We need to work together by being proactive towards safeguarding the health of the adolescent members of our communities,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Suleiman Bashir, Executive Chairman of the Agency, said that the health indicator of the state was far above average.
He said the Agency would continue to initiate programs that would positioned the primary health secor of the state far among equals.
“We have been receiving support from the UNICEF as we collaborate towards implementing our programs,” he said.
He lauded the state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri for his administration’s open door policy, adding that the gesture heralded infrastructure development in education, health, security and welfare of workers.
The representatives of development partners and other stakeholders in the health sector attended the event.
