Increased investment is crucial to tackle evolving health risks and meet the mental, sexual, and reproductive health needs of 1.3 billion adolescents globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in a recent report. Adolescence, a vital stage of human development, presents unique health challenges.
"Promoting and protecting the health and rights of young people is essential to building a better future," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
"Failure to address these health threats will have life-threatening consequences and create economic costs for societies."
The report highlights alarming trends, including mental health disorders, obesity, and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents.
It calls for urgent action to address these issues and warns against restrictive policies that hinder access to healthcare.
However, the study also notes that progress is possible with the right investments, pointing to declines in adolescent HIV infections and pregnancies as evidence of success.
