Chandigarh, January 9 – With a view to deal with the health problems of teenagers, Adolescent Friendship Clinics have been set up at general hospital Karnal and at all the six community health centres in the district.
While stating this here today, a spokesman of Haryana Health Department said that these clinics would prove a boon for the teenagers by sorting out their sex related problems. In rural and urban areas of Haryana, parents generally did not discuss such topics with their children and adolescents also hesitate discussing their sex related problems.
He said that during the month of December 2011,about 100 teenagers had undergone medical check up and were given counselling in these clinics. These clinics were being run by the National Rural Health Mission in cooperation with AIDS Control Society. Teenagers in the age group of 10 to 18 years were provided free treatment and counselling in these clinics. The health checkup and treatment of all the teenagers was not disclosed to others. A monthly meeting of such children was organised at school and Anganwadi centres and the proceedings of the meeting were also not disclosed. The publicity regarding the functions of these clinics was carried out by health workers, doctors and teachers.
These clinics are open on every Saturday from 12 noon to 2 p.m. and separate centres have been set up for boys and girls. The services of dermatologists and gynecologists are also provided in these clinics.