Health Centre for Adolescents

The union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has launched India’s first comprehensive adolescent health programme named ‘the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK)’ to address the sexual health issues of the 243 million adolescents, comprising 21 percent of India’s population. With the aim to provide adequate services and guidance in areas such as mental health, nutrition, substance misuse, gender based violence and non-communicable diseases, the health ministry plans to set up an “adolescent-friendly” health clinic in every district of the country. The clinic would also provide contraceptives and sex education. to the young. The programme also aims reach out to urban adolescents with correct information on safe sex practices via social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.