Bagmti Province Health Ministry to operate 'Adolescent Digital Park'

Bhaktapur, Dec 7: Health Ministry of the Bagmati Province Government is to operate 'Adolescent Digital Park' in the current fiscal year as a pilot project with an objective of promoting safe sexual and reproductive behaviour among adolescents.   

Briefing the media persons here today, Health Minister Kiran Thapa Magar said the digital park is going to be operated with the aim of making sexual and reproductive health of adolescents safe.  

The concept of digital park was introduced realizing the need of education related to safe sex and reproductive health at a time when unsafe sex, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted diseases are increasing among adolescents. 

The Province Health Minister opined that the project would be brought into implementation at coordination and partnership of local levels.  

He added podcasts would be created on various issues including changes seen during sexual and physical development among adolescents, menstruation and hygiene, child marriage, rape, safe reproductive health, effects of smoking and alcohol, sexual abuse, awareness and they would be placed through digital board it the park where teenage boys and girls gather. 

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Sumitra Gautam, shared that the Ministry is going to introduce such programme for the first time across the country to provide counseling and disseminate message regarding physical and mental development of adolescents. 

The Ministry has already allocated Rs 2.5 million for this programme. Director at the Bagmati Province Health Directorate, Dr Narendra Jha, mentioned that the programme would be implemented at coordination and collaboration of the concerned local level.(RSS)