The program was launched on January 7, 2014. The key principles of this program are adolescent participation and leadership, equality and inclusion, strategic equality and strategic partnership with other sectors and stakeholders. This program enables all adolescents in India to make informed and responsible decisions related to their health and wellness and realize their full potential by using the services and support they need to do so.
To guide the implementation of this program, the MOHFW in collaboration with the UNFPA has developed a National Adolescent Health Strategy. It reintroduces existing clinic-based curative approaches to focus on a more holistic model based on the continuum of care for adolescent health and developmental needs. Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram will comprehensively address the health needs of 243 million adolescents. It introduces community-based interventions through peer educators, and is outlined in collaboration with other ministries and state governments.
Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram Details
Under the National Adolescent Health Program it is seen that adolescents (10–19 years) constitute about one-fifth of India’s population. It represents a huge opportunity that can change the social and economic fate of the country. The large and growing relative share and absolute number of adolescents in India requires that the nation ensure that they become a vibrant, creative force that can contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth.
Adolescents should invest substantially in education, health, development and other areas to fulfill their potential. Investments in adolescents will have an immediate, direct and positive impact on India’s health goals. The strategy aims to create an effective, appropriate, acceptable, and accessible service package that addresses a range of adolescent health and developmental needs.
Objectives of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram
- Improve nutrition
- Increase mental health
- Prevent injuries and violence
- Prevent substance abuse
- Improve sexual and reproductive health
The population of boys / girls in the age group of 10 to 19 in India is 1/5 of the total population of the country and the population of boys / girls in the age group of 10 to 24 years is 1/3 of the total population of the country. A young country cannot be envisaged without taking care of the better health of adolescents. Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), done by the Government of India in early 2014, has been designed keeping in mind the facts of better health of adolescents. . The program was launched by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. According to RKSK, people aged 10 to 19 in urban and rural areas (whether it is boy or girl, married or unmarried, poor or rich, Be a juvenile or have left school).
7 C & Six Strategic Priorities in RKSK
7Cs – To apply this paradigm, the strategy identifies seven critical components (7c), which need to be ensured in all program areas. These components are as follows:
- Coverage (कवरेज)
- Content (सामग्री)
- Communities (समुदाय)
- Counselling (परामर्श)
- Communication (संचार)
- Convergence (अभिसरण)
- Clinics (health facilities) (स्वास्थ्य सुविधाएं)
Six strategic – six strategic priorities (program) areas that emerged from a situational analysis of adolescent health and development needs in India. Are as follows:
- Nutrition
- Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)
- Non-communicable disease (NCD)
- Substance abuse
- Injuries and violence (including gender-based violence)
- mental health
Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram Strategies
(1) Community Based Intervention:
- Peer Education (PE)
- Quarterly Adolescent Health Day (AHD)
- Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplement Program (WIFS)
- Menstrual Hygiene Plan (MHS)
(2) Facility based interventions:
- Strengthening Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC)
(3) Convergence:
- Within Health and Family Welfare – FP, MH (include VHND), RBSK, NACP, National Tobacco Control Program National Mental Health Program, NCD and IEC
- Along with other departments / schemes – WCD (ICDS, KSY, BSY, SABLA), HRD (AEP, MDM), Youth Affairs and Sports (Adolescent Empowerment Scheme, National Service Scheme, NYKS, NPYAD)
Note – Focus on Social and Behavior Change Communication with Inter Personal Communication Each strategy / intervention typically addresses more than one objective.
Health Care Services in Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram
- Treatment of severe nutrition.
- Treatment of common RTI / STI problems.
- Treatment of menstrual disorders.
- Treatment for sexual symptoms of men and women.
- Mental Health Services / Management of Depression.
- Treatment of non communicable diseases and other common diseases.
- And management of violence-related injuries.
- Management of sexual abuse among girls.
- Management of substance abuse.
- Treatment of hyper-communicable diseases such as high blood, stroke, cardio-ulcerative disease and dye.
Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) PDF
DOWNLOAD the PDF file associated with this scheme and click on the link for more information.