As part of an ambitious plan to revamp Ujala Clinics for adolescents, the Rajasthan government will appoint peer educators and “shadow educators” for counselling of youngsters and ensure better coordination with other medical and health schemes. Ujala Clinics are functioning at the government health facilities in 10 districts of the State.
A workshop of adolescent health counsellors was organised here earlier this week under the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). The role of Ujala Clinics and the scope for connecting them with the initiatives for promoting mental health, reproductive health and de-addiction was discussed on the occasion.
National Health Mission's State Director Samit Sharma said the “shadow educators”, to be appointed in Rajasthan on the lines of Madhya Pradesh, would provide supplementary support to the ongoing counselling services. The new batch of educators will deal with behavioural aspects of adolescents and help them cope with physical and hormonal changes.
Ujala Clinics have been established at district hospitals, community health centres and the selected primary health centres in Udaipur, Rajsamand, Banswara, Dungarpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jalore, Bundi, Karauli and Dholpur districts.
United Nations Population Fund's State Programme Coordinator Sunil Thomas Jacob said a new software was being prepared for reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the clinics' functioning. RKSK State Nodal Officer Rajendra Gaura said the adolescent health strategy was aimed at reducing the prevalence of malnutrition and iron-deficiency anaemia and improve adolescents' knowledge and behaviour in relation to sexual and reproductive health.
