Improving adolescent health a serious issue: Phungzathang
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 14 2015 :
Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing on Saturday stated that in the present scenario improving adolescent health has become a serious issue faced by the nation.
He was speaking during the 9th National Conference of Indian Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH) on the theme "ensuring adolescent friendly quality services" at Jubilee Hall, RIMS here on Saturday.
While emphasizing the importance of proper adolescent health care, Phungzathang stressed that drug abuse, apart from developing deviant behaviour, also seriously affect their health.
He appealed to all the parents to play a greater role to ensure that their children remain healthy as they are the future of our society.
Tonsing further said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is now recognizing the importance of adolescent health for a healthy nation and started to take up measures to promote high quality health care for adolescents and youths.
While delivering her presidential address, IAAH founder President Dr Prema Bali stressed that adolescents are the most important part of our society as they constitute almost one fifth of the total population and that if we invest our efforts to nurture them properly, we would have very bright youths and adults in future.
She further stated that due to various reasons like conflict-situations, social tensions & confusion etc.
it is difficult for the present day adolescents to lead a normal life and called upon all to join hands to ensure that our adolescent population becomes mentally and spiritually healthy.
Dr.Bruce Dick, President of the International Association of Adolescent Health, Geneva, told that adolescence is a very important stage in one's life and assured that the International body will support the IAAH in all its endeavours & will continue to work together.
RIMS Director Prof Ch Arun Kumar Singh, JNIMS Director Prof M Shyamo Singh attended as guest of honours respectively.