Youths urge FG to approve age reduction for independent access to reproductive health services

A coalition of youths, under the auspices of African Health Budget Network (AHBN)’s, Meaningful Adolescent and Youth Engagement (MAYE) group, has called on the Federal Government through the National Council on Health to approve reduction of age for independent access to sexual and reproductive health services including HIV testing from 18 to 14years.

The MAYE Working Group in a communique issued at the end of the national summit for representatives of youth groups and youth-focused civil society organizations across the country to brainstorm on the Nigeria Youth Health and Development Agenda read by the Chairman of Research and Development Associate, Olympus Adebanjo also demanded comprehensive range of sexual health services required by diverse groups of young people to be integrated into training curriculums of healthcare providers at all levels of training.

The summit which was a hybrid convening of young people across the country gives an opportunity to all young people to participate in the formulation of the agenda document.

They also urged the federal government to meet up with the 15% Abuja declaration in the national and subnational budget, review of BHCPF to recognize adolescents and youths as part of vulnerable population

“Fragmented Approach to financing of social health insurance for all young people, to Adopt public health approach to issue of drug addiction, optimization of primary health care for mental health intervention for young people and meaningful occupational counselling structures for young people in secondary schools and institutions”

They also demanded that policies supporting female engagement in governance should be actively implemented from LGA to Federal level while comprehensive range of sexual health services required by diverse groups of young people should be integrated into training curriculums of healthcare providers at all levels of training.

“Policies supporting female engagement in governance should actively be implemented from LGA to Federal level and microfinance banks sponsored by the government should be strengthened and interest rates reduced for young people’s mini and small scale businesses”.

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