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IAHW 2021: Raising The Hopes Of Adolescents Worldwide
The International Adolescent Health Week celebrated across the globe in the 3rd full week of March annually may have come and gone but must has left with it hopes towards improving the health and well – being of the over one billion adolescents across the globe.
In Nigeria, different states marked the week in various ways bearing in mind the theme of this year’s celebration, which was Adolescence Resilience in the Face of a Pandemic “.
Here in Rivers state, the celebration kicked off with a state wide broadcast by the Commissioner of Health, Professor Princewill Chike where he made a passionate appeal to stakeholders in the upbringing of adolescents to consider this vulnerable group i n decision making in other to give them a sense of belonging in the society.
He also called on adults, parents, opinion, religious, community and political leaders to consider the voice of adolescents in everyday decision making with a view to refocusing individual and corporate values towards the positive development of adolescence and building a safe society.
The Health Commissioner stated that the theme of this years’ international celebration was aimed towards increasing the recognition of unique health issues facing adolescents worldwide. He added that, it will also increase their engagement in their own health decisions with the ultimate goal of working collectively towards improving the health and well – being of adolescents.
Prof Chike noted that a healthy and vibrant youth population constitutes a nations account and forms a critical mass for national development.
The state’s celebration was geared towards sensitizing the adolescents on the need to access adolescence – friendly services in the state’s facilities across the 23 Local government areas .
Events for the celebration of the Adolescent week in the state included a road rally and sensitization visits to Mile one and Creek Road Markets in Port Harcourt, There was also a Radio Talk Show at WAZOBIA FM and an advocacy visit to the office of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to interface with their local government area representatives to present the message of the week long celebration to them for their various communities.
At the Federal level, Nigerian’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment towards ensuring the welfare of adolescents in Nigeria, noting that the Covid – 19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance of health investment in childhood towards a healthy adulthood.
The minister, who as part of activities to mark the 2021 international Adolescent Health Week interacted with the adolescents at both physical and virtual events in Abuja.
Dr Ehanire at the event indicated that the government recognized the potential and importance of investing in the health and wellbeing of adolescents to support a successful transition to adulthood.
He pointed out that the leading health challenges among adolescents and young people in Nigeria had in 2019 included issues of sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRH), mental health, substance abuse, nutritional problems, violence and injuries, physical disorders and chronic conditions such as asthma, sickle cell disease disorders and oral health problems, including communicable and non – communicable diseases.
He assured Nigerians that FMOH is providing leadership and guidance in collaboration with partners to ensure continuous delivery of essential gender responsive services and to mitigate health services, access barriers feed by adolescents and young people in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has been urged to create more youth friendly centers where youths can feel free to discuss issues regarding their health. This they believe will help the youth to avoid depression with the help of competent consellors. The call was made by Isabella Amani ,at the event in Abuja.
Amani, a teenager and a representative of Stand With a Girl Initiative, also urged the Federal Ministry of Health to create a specialized desk for adolescents in all major health facilities where they can seek medical and psychological care especially during this Covid – 19 era.
In their contribution to the week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that they are making progress on universal health coverage requires keeping adolescents at the center of the Sustainable Developmental Goal agenda which represents a critical window of opportunity for effective prevention and health promotion with effects throughout the life course.
With the vision that no adolescent or young person is left behind”. WHO is continuing to work with Government all levels to support specific actions that effectively respond to the need of different categories of adolescents and young people with various levels of vulnerabilities and to remove barriers constraining the access of any sub group to relevant services and opportunities for improved health, well – being and development.
Also, WHO Nigeria under the organization Adolescents Flayship program, has been supporting the (FMOH) using the global Accelerated Action on Health Adolescent Guidance, to revise the National policy on health and development of Adolescent and young people.
International Adolescent Health Week celebrated the 3rd full week of March yearly it is a grassroots programme for young people, their health care providers, their teachers, their parents, their advocates and their communities to come together and celebrated young people with an ultimate goal of working collectively towards improving the health and wellbeing of the over 1 billion adolescents across the globe today.
International Adolescents Health Week started as Teen Health Week celebrated in a single state, pennsy lvania, in the US in 2016and grew rapidly to a global celebration.
This week is led by adolescent health members of the society of Adolescent Health and Medicine IAHW Special Interest Group and the International Association of Adolescent Health.
The mission of International Adolescent Health week is to inspire adolescents and their communities to advocate for a successful transition into adulthood.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Social/Kiddies
Celebrating Woman As An Icon Of Strength
A woman is a dynamic multifaceted individual who embodies resilience, courage and determination.
She is a game changer and a force to be reckon with, a confidant empowered, supportive, adaptable and inspirational.
Many had asked why women are being celebrated even as recorded in calendar so frequently unlike men and I said, a woman being multifaceted and embodies resilience and determination is worth being celebrated unlike in the 80s when women were meant to understand that their place was in the kitchen of their husbands’ houses.
What an amazing level of development where women can choose a career and work on themselves and know that there is more to life than being in the kitchen and ending up in a man’s house with nothing to show for it.
Women are the strongest versions of the gender of humans in the world even in their silence, women hold a depth of emotions, questions and unspoken thoughts. Their smiles often conceal their true feelings, masking their fears, doubts and desires.
Despite these challenges, women continue to rise above, shattering glass ceilings and pushing boundaries.
Today innovative, women are enterprenuers, leaders, and change agents. Inspiring women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie and many others have paved the way for future generation, their achievements serve as testaments to women’s strength, resilience and capabilities.
The calendar tell us how unique the woman is and her significance in the home and society at large. As a woman, she holds power and I celebrate every woman out there in the world irrespective of how you may have fallen, you shall rise above the challenges, support one another and celebrate collective strength and resilience.
Woman as an icon of strength is not just about individual achievements but creating supportive networks, uplifting others and celebrating collective success, defying expectations and redefining what it means to be a strong woman.
The strength and bravery of women are worthy of celebration by the entire world as none is unique as the epitome of nation builders, character molders and pacesetters not just in their family but to the society at large.
A woman is a selfless mother, lover and care giver to her family, a daughter who supports her parents, as a sister’s unshakeable bond with her siblings and a friends unconditional empathy and understanding.
These acts of kindness and love are not most times talked about but hold families and communities together and bonding strong women are powerful beings who have impacted the society, shaping the foundation of the world from the 80s to date, I personally want to celebrate all the icons of strength who had fought and are still fighting , that our voices as women are heard even unto the ends of time.
I celebrate you all amazing women for standing strong and paving ways for the future generation for equality, justice and human rights. To the rising child, teenager and adults who happen to be a ‘woman’, I celebrate our collective efforts, our strength in helping one another to rise, irrespective of our differences in our backgrounds.
We are super humans, unique beings, no wonder the Bible acknowledges the importance of our strength. Therefore, let’s celebrate every woman out there.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha, is a student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
Social/Kiddies
Children And Basics Of Family
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Social/Kiddies
Who Should Name A Child?
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.