Currently, different countries are working to ensure societal health by giving due attention to the health sector and investing hugely. No doubt, there is nothing more precious than a healthy life and everyone deserves to be healthy.
However, the impacts of different communicable and non-communicable diseases are worsening and affecting people, mainly the young ones following the lack of awareness. Thus, it requires local and international health sector practitioners and government’s proactive actions regarding ensuring a healthy society.
In Ethiopia, the annual National Adolescents and Youth Health Forum has become a great milestone in mobilizing youths to bring about a tangible change in sensitizing the new generation about the value of a healthy life. On the forum, youths across the country will attend and actively participate by discussing timely health challenges and the growing impact of bad addicts in their community.
Recently, the 5th National Adolescents and Youth Health Forum was held in Addis Ababa attracting numerous stakeholders from different parts of the country. On the forum, officials underscored the significance of keeping the health of the youth and the greater consideration it requires to achieve holistic development and transform the socio-economic situation.
Opening the forum, Health Min¬ister Mekdes Daba (MD) said that the issue of youth health requires proactive efforts from all sectors to address the ongoing challenges.
The forum sought to bring about a tangible change to ensure the mental and physical health of the youth, and that is why the gov¬ernment has given due attention. Accordingly, the Ministry is working to provide timely health information to counter the ongoing misinformation in the sector, she stated.
Addressing sexual-related health problems, delivering timely and verified health information, and ensuring that persons with disability have access to health services, among others, are the top priorities of the Ministry regarding youths, she said.
Moreover, providing health services in industrial parks and youth centers as well as school health programs are among the ongoing activities being undertaken regarding the protection of youth’s health, she added.
On his part, Education Minister Prof, Brehanu Nega said that ensuring nutritional security is fundamental to enable the youths to be healthy both mentally and physically.
Thus, the Ministry is taking various measures and mobilizing support to keep the health of the youths to help them achieve their ambitions, he noted.
As to him, stunting is posing a serious challenge in some parts of the country. Thus, he indicated that expanding health education and other tangible works is required to promote the health of young people.
“The new generation should be mentally and physically fit and the Ministry is working with pertinent stakeholders to create a suitable environment in schools. The generation should also be ready to confront the challenges of globalization and its impact,” he said.
Adulthood is a period of golden opportunity if utilized properly and Ethiopia embraces a greater number of youths that can significantly contribute to revolutionizing sustainable development, Women and Social Affairs Minister Ergoge Tesfaye (PhD) said.
Investing in youths should be the priority of the country to maintain the health of the future generations. Therefore, it is important to create more awareness of sexual-related health, addiction, and other bad habits, she stressed.
Currently, there are more than 3,000 youth centers throughout the country where more awareness creation is being conducted to build the mental and physical health of the youth, the Minister added.
Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Commissioner at the African Union (AU), Minata Samate Cessouma also commended the Ethiopian government for championing the continental adolescent nutrition campaign. Investing in the health and well-being of youth is a critical milestone for the development of Ethiopia and Africa at large.
According to the Commissioner, the vision of creating a prosperous Africa cannot be achieved without integrating the strategy of health and nutritional well-being of youth and adolescents. Thus, the effort that the Ethiopian government has been exerting to champion the continental adolescent nutrition campaign is an act that should be celebrated.
“Ethiopia is a shining example of commitment demonstrating great initiatives to improve nutrition. The food and nutrition strategy, “The Sekota Declaration of Ethiopia”, is just one feature that portrays what the government of Ethiopia is doing.”
Emphasizing that improved access to health and nutrition services enables adolescents to exercise their rights and make their own decisions to achieve their full potential; she urged other African governments to provide exemplary leadership by integrating adolescent nutrition in all sectors such as health, education, social protection, water and Sanitation.
USAID Ethiopia Health Office Director, Jonathan Ross also said that Ethiopia has a large youth population that significantly impacts the social, economic, and political landscape of the country by providing a crucial opportunity for the overall development of the country.
Ethiopia can cultivate healthy and productive citizens by addressing the needs of the youth such as ensuring access to quality health and achieving educational milestones. In this regard, the USAID is providing 200 million USD annually, he stated, adding that currently the Agency is supporting the provision of responsive youth and adolescent health services in various health centers of the country, he stated.
USAID continues investing in youth and adolescent health in close collaboration with the government of Ethiopia to ensure accessible, quality, and responsive health service in the country, the Director reaffirmed.
WHO Ethiopia Country Office Representative Owen L. Kaluwa stressed that addressing health issues of adolescents can prevent future health problems and needs a multi-sectoral approach for an accessible, quality, and responsive health system of the country.
He also restates WHO’s commitment to work in collaboration with Ethiopia to ensure youth and adolescent health, noting organizations’ ongoing support in strengthening youth and adolescent health services through various initiatives at the national and regional levels.
The forum, themed “Access and quality: responsive health system for all adolescents and youth” was attended by ministers, youths, and development partners representatives.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia was honored by UN for its efforts in the presentation of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The United Nations has celebrated Ethiopia for its significant accomplishments in preventing and controlling Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The UN Task Force on NCD Prevention and Control presented the award to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health during the ongoing 79th General Assembly in New York.
Ethiopia was specifically recognized for its effective integrated approach to NCDs prevention, the provision of community-based health services, and particularly its strides in cervical cancer prevention. Dr. Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health, accepted the award at the assembly on behalf of the country.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2024
