WHO/UNAIDS launch new standards to improve adolescent care
WHO/UNAIDS - "New Global Standards for quality health-care services for adolescents developed by WHO and UNAIDS aim to help countries improve the quality of adolescent health care.
Existing health services often fail the world’s adolescents (10-19-year-olds). Many adolescents who suffer from HIV/AIDS, mental health disorders, substance use, poor nutrition, intentional injuries and chronic illness do not have access to critical prevention and care services." Especially the lack of information is indispensible because without specific knowledge the adolescents are not able to protect themselves from HIV and other severe diseases. (...)
Training health workers is critical
Dr Valentina Baltag, adolescent health expert at WHO, says: “There are countries where every fifth citizen is an adolescent. Yet most students in medical and nursing schools graduate with no understanding of the specific needs of adolescents in accessing healthcare. This is unacceptable.”