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“We Are Not Paying Enough Attention to Teenagers’ Health”

Categories: Sub-Saharan Africa, Citizen Media, Food, Health, Humanitarian Response

The latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the health of adolescents worldwide notes that [1]

 The top 3 causes of adolescent deaths globally are road traffic injuries, HIV/AIDS, and suicide. Worldwide, an estimated 1.3 million adolescents died in 2012.

The report also adds that :

Mortality rate is higher for teenagers between the age of  15  and 19 that those between 10 and 14 years old. Although some causes of death are common to both sexes, young boys die at higher rate because of violence while giving birth as a teen is the main cause of death for young girls.    

Some policies are suggested to better respond to the mental and overall health needs of adolescents. Dr Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director-General for Family, Women and Children’s Health, WHO states that  states that [2]:

The world has not paid enough attention to the health of adolescents.