Adolescent healthcare

Reproductive health care for adolescents and young people is one of the crucial factors determining the quality of the population, the quality of human resources, and the future of generations. Recognizing this goal, the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department has coordinated with various levels, sectors, and local authorities to implement numerous solutions, making this activity more in-depth, practical, and effective.

Extracurricular activities promoting reproductive health education for adolescents/young people were held at Thanh Thuy High School, Thanh Thuy District.

Diversify communication methods.

From the beginning of 2024 to the present, the Population and Health Education Communication Department of the Viet Tri City Health Center has organized 32 communication conferences on reproductive health care for adolescents/young people in schools, reaching over 10,000 students and teachers. The content covered a wide range of topics, including pre-marital health counseling, sharing knowledge and skills in health care, accident and injury prevention, school violence prevention, and population policies. In addition, they organized pre-marital health check-ups, counseling, and health screenings in 22 wards and communes; and integrated 22 screening sessions for non-communicable diseases, with 400 people receiving counseling and health check-ups.

The city has also actively maintained the operation of clubs providing pre-marital counseling and health check-ups for adolescents/young people, clubs for mothers and girls, clubs for mothers with teenage children, pre-marital clubs, and friendly corners in schools... with the aim of raising awareness and changing behavior for adolescent/young people, especially women. At these clubs, members share information about adolescent/young people's reproductive health, receive counseling, and have their questions answered regarding psychological and physiological changes during puberty, how to prevent premarital sex, the consequences of abortion, and cases of sexual abuse...

Thanh Thuy High School in Thanh Thuy district currently has over 1,200 students. Over the years, the school has regularly and effectively implemented sex education and reproductive health care programs for adolescents and young adults. Ms. Ly Thi Chat, the school's Vice Principal, stated: "Through extracurricular communication sessions on adolescent reproductive health care, students receive information from educators about the reality of pregnancy and abortion among adolescents and young adults in our country; they are also reminded to be vigilant against harmful, toxic, and false information circulating on social media. At the same time, they are equipped with knowledge about gender, sexuality, the psychological and physiological changes of puberty; issues related to friendship and love among adolescents and young adults; safe sex, the consequences of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions; and methods of contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases." Essential skills for self-protection against harassment and sexual abuse... In addition, the school's teaching staff regularly integrates this awareness content into lessons, especially in Biology, Economics and Law, and Life Skills Education... This helps students gain a full and accurate understanding of the psychology and physiology of their age group.

Health check-ups and consultations for adolescents/young people in Thuy Van commune, Viet Tri city.

Contributing to raising awareness

Over the years, the Population and Health Education Communication Department of the Phu Ninh District Health Center has promoted communication on reproductive health care for adolescents and young adults in schools, thereby creating a beneficial and comfortable environment, helping them to be more confident when going to school. Mr. Trinh Xuan Toan, Head of the Population and Health Education Communication Department, said: Every year, the Department organizes training and skill development sessions for population officials in the communes, expanding communication by age group and extracurricular activities throughout the school. In 2024, in coordination with schools, they organized 10 sessions on sex education and reproductive health care for adolescents and young adults, attracting more than 500 students through various forms such as dramatization, question-and-answer sessions, and leaflet distribution. According to the schools' evaluations, this is a beneficial, practical, and necessary activity, helping teachers and parents better understand the psychology and physiology of this age group, thus enabling them to provide appropriate education and contributing to improved teaching and learning effectiveness.

To raise awareness about reproductive health care among adolescents and young adults, the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department has implemented many action programs, such as coordinating with the Education sector to strengthen the provision of information and knowledge about gender, gender equality, gender imbalance at birth, reproductive health, and comprehensive sexual health for adolescents and young adults through extracurricular activities in schools.

In 2024, the Sub-Department organized 17 training courses for population officials at all levels in the province. In addition, 55 district-level population communicators, 225 commune-level population officials, and 3,109 community-based population collaborators were all active communicators in reproductive health care activities for adolescents and young adults. Friendly corners in schools, friendly clinics in health facilities, and clubs for mothers with children in the adolescent/youth age group operated effectively, with 117 clubs and 4,440 members participating, contributing to raising awareness about gender and reproductive health for adolescents and young adults.

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Phuong, Head of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department, in 2024, the Department coordinated with other sectors to organize 607 pre-marital health counseling sessions for adolescents and young people, including life skills education, prevention of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, skills to prevent sexual abuse, and maintaining the "Happiness Counseling for Every Family" hotline. Simultaneously, they provided materials, conducted communication and online exchanges; organized 197 sessions on reproductive health and gender counseling in schools for over 31,000 teachers and students in junior and senior high schools, contributing to improving knowledge and skills, and reducing unwanted pregnancies and abortions among adolescents and young people.

Communication and care activities related to reproductive health for adolescents and young adults are of great importance, demonstrating the concern and sense of responsibility of all levels, sectors, and the community. They help the future generation of the country acquire basic knowledge and essential life skills before entering adulthood and becoming useful citizens for society.

Moc Lam

Source: https://baophutho.vn/cham-care-health-for-youth-225284.htm