Addis Ababa — Ethiopia's Minister of Health, Mekdes Daba highlighted the national efforts to establish a responsive, high-quality, and easily accessible health environment for adolescent and young workforce in the country.
A three day long national health forum, that brought together adolescents and youth from all regional states and city administrations of the country, kicked of today in Addis Ababa.
The forum was inaugurated in the presence of Health Minister Mekdes Daba, Women and Social Affairs Minister Ergogie Tesfaye, and Education Minister Professor Berhanu Nega, among other senior government officials and representatives of various international organizations.
In her opening remarks, Health Minister Mekdes Daba said the forum will focus on issues aimed at strengthening accessibility, quality and responsiveness of health system for the larger adolescent and youth population of the country.
In this regard, the ministry is striving to have mentally and physically healthy productive adolescent and youth force through creating accessible, quality and responsive health environment in the country, she added.
The strategies designed by the government to improve the health system for adolescents and youth are expected to be implemented by all stakeholders including the youth and adolescents themselves and the entire community.
The ministry is carrying out various activities aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of adolescents and youth in universities, industrial parks, youth centers, among others in collaboration with continental and international stakeholders she pointed out.
The minister further stressed the need to strengthen sectoral approach as it is crucial in achieving remarkable improvement in the health sectors of the country.
Adolescent and youth are segments of the population mainly exposed to health and social problems, Mekdes noted, indicating that enhancing the knowledge of reproductive health is one of the focus areas regarding adolescent and youth health.
The minister has urged stakeholders to strengthen their collaboration with the ministry in its efforts of ensuring accessible, quality and responsive health system for adolescents and youth in the country.
Urging stakeholders to further scale up their collaboration with the ministry, she emphasized that the health and wellbeing of adolescents and youth need a great deal of attention as the sociopolitical and economic development of the country relied on this significant portion of the population.
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Women and Social Affairs Minister Ergogie Tesfaye on her part reiterated that although adolescent and youth age group is a golden and productive age cycle, if it is not managed well, it leaves them extremely vulnerable to a range of social challenges.
Hence, adolescent and youth need special attention by providing the necessary support in a way that their health is fully protected, she stressed, assuring that her ministry in collaboration with pertinent stakeholders will provide all necessary supports to ensure the universal participation benefits of the youth and adolescents.
Education Minister, Professor Berhanu Nega on his part stressed that it is necessity to develop the mental and physical health of the generation to be fit and competent in all areas in this dynamic world.
The future is coming with great threats and challenges unless serious works are done now on the knowledge, physical and mental health of the youth and adolescents, the minister stressed, emphasizing collaboration as a crucial instrument to bring a fundamental change on the generation.
