Kwara opens six youth-friendly health centres for adolescents

Commissioning of the youth-friendly centre at Ogele Primary Healthcare Centre in Asa LGA by the Executive Secretary of KWSPHCDA, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, alongside representatives from Jhpiego, led by its State Lead, Williams Awotundun. Photo: Toheeb Omotayo

The Kwara State Government has commissioned six youth-friendly centres across selected primary healthcare facilities in the state to improve access to confidential, respectful and adolescent-responsive healthcare services.

The centres, established with support from the Global Fund and implemented by Jhpiego through the Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Communicable Diseases Project, are designed to provide adolescents and young people with safe spaces to access health information and services without fear of stigma or judgment.

The six centres are located at Ojomu Primary Health Centre, Lamodi Comprehensive Health Centre and Nawairudeen District Health Centre in Offa Local Government Area; Ogele and Otte primary healthcare centres in Asa LGA; and Olorun Primary Health Centre in Moro LGA.

One of the centres, located at Ogele Primary Health Centre in Asa Local Government Area, was commissioned on Thursday by the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu.

Elelu said the intervention was significant because adolescents and young people had previously received less attention in the state’s healthcare programmes compared with women and children.

She said, “We have clear programmes for our women and children. However, our adolescents and young people have consistently been neglected in our healthcare programmes. But we thank the government of the day, under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“The state government has, in recent times, continued to place greater importance on adolescent health within the state’s healthcare services. That is why you will see a lot of interventions targeted at our women and girls within that age range, as well as our boys.”

Elelu added that the state was also benefiting from interventions by development partners, including the EU-SARAH programme and Jhpiego, which she said was supporting adolescent healthcare through the NASA programme in six primary healthcare centres across the state.

She said the centres would provide adolescents with trained personnel with whom they could discuss sensitive issues that they might be unwilling to share with their parents, friends or others.

“Our adolescents can relate to this because this is going to be a safe haven for young people. This facility is dedicated solely to you. There are things you cannot tell your parents, friends or even yourselves. We have dedicated and trained personnel who are here for you,” Elelu said.

The KWSPHCDA boss urged young people to seek professional guidance before making decisions that could have long-term consequences on their health and future.

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Elelu described the centres as safe havens that would provide adolescent-ready services and give young people a greater sense of belonging within the healthcare system.

“This is a safe haven that will provide you with adolescent-ready services and give you a sense of belonging. We hope that these facilities will be well utilised,” she said.

The executive secretary said the government was committed to ensuring that young people remained healthy and equipped to contribute meaningfully to the future of the state and country.

“The government of Kwara State is giving voice to the fact that our youths are the leaders of tomorrow. We do not want disgruntled or unhealthy youths; we want young people who can have a brighter future so that Nigeria can continue to become better,” Elelu said.

She also appealed to Jhpiego and other development partners to expand the intervention to more parts of the state, noting that the organisation had already made an impact in several local government areas.

“My next message is to Jhpiego and all our development partners. We thank you for this initiative. The message is very clear: when you are planning your operational strategies for 2027, I look forward to commissioning centres in the 13 other local government areas out of the 16 where your impact has reached, including Moro, Offa and Asa Local Government Areas,” she said.

Elelu expressed appreciation to the development partners for their various interventions in the state and assured them of the government’s continued support.

“I can assure you that the Kwara State Government sees your interventions. We can only continue to demonstrate commitment and support in ways that will make your assignments better, because you can be assured of an impact that you will also be proud of,” she said.

The iSRHR-CD project, which runs until December 31, 2026, is being implemented at the federal level and in Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe and Kwara states, with a focus on improving integrated, patient-centred services for vulnerable and underserved populations.

Its priority areas include sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn health, family planning, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis, among others.

The project also seeks to strengthen healthcare workers’ capacity, referral systems, community engagement and linkages between primary healthcare facilities and communities, with technical support from partners including Jhpiego, the World Health Organisation and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.