At an event, Chandra said, “India has the largest population of adolescents in the world, 253 million strong, and growing. Our adolescents are the backbone of our future, embodying the promise of a vibrant and progressive nation.”“We recognise that ensuring their health, education, and empowerment is vital to achieving our national and international development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Chandra, who was speaking at an event on ‘economic case for investment in the well-being of adolescents in India” report.The report builds on the global findings presented in “Adolescents in a Changing World – The Case for Urgent Investment’ commissioned by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) and released at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva.“Our government is dedicated to creating an environment where adolescents can thrive, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully to society.”India is the first country to launch the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), a dedicated program to reach out to 253 million adolescents – male and female, rural and urban, married and unmarried, in and out-of-school adolescents with a particular focus on marginalised and under-served groups.He said several strides have been made to advance the well-being of adolescents in the country.The School Health and Wellness Programme under Ayushman Bharat aims to strengthen school children’s health promotion and disease prevention interventions using trained teachers.The Scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene is focused on adolescent girls to increase awareness and promote menstrual hygiene practices.“By fostering partnerships with non-governmental organisations, community leaders, and international agencies, we aim to amplify our efforts and reach every adolescent, regardless of their socio-economic background,” he added.
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