Adolescents
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Sept.8, 2018(NAN) The AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF) has called on government at all levels and stakeholders to create safe environment for adolescents on HIV treatment in the country.
Dr Echey Ijezie, Country Programme Director, AHF, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
Ijezie said the need to create a safe space for adolescents on HIV treatment could not be over emphasised as they faced many challenges, including difficulties in dealing with initial side effects of the drugs.
Other challenges, he said were: the non-youth friendly nature of most health facilities, predominant pervasive environment of stigma and unresolved internal conflicts with accepting an HIV positive status.
“Many adolescents on treatment are poor; several have little to eat while some find it difficult to transport themselves to health facilities.
“These challenges have resulted in many adolescents opting out of treatment to the detriment of their health and well-being.
“The need to moderate the impact of these realities for this group of adolescents and safeguard their lives informed the 2018 edition of AHF, safe space programme,’’ he said.
Ijezie said the 2013 World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline for the care of adolescents living with HIV and AIDS, argued for an active engagement and involvement in delivery of care for this population.
He further urged government and stakeholders to have supportive policy in place that would allow those in school, easy access to leave school during their clinical appointments.
He stressed the need to implement a school feeding programme to guarantee the feeding of indigent adolescents on treatment and incorporate mental health services into adolescent support groups. (NAN)
TIM/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed