State to scale up adolescent health services

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The government has announced plans to expand adolescent and youth-friendly health services across the country, even as young people urged officials to move beyond promises and deliver real change.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day CSA Horizon37 Youth Symposium at Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Head of Adolescent Health at the Ministry of Health’s Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health Division(RHMCAH), Dr Jacqueline Kisia, said the government is integrating sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with mental health and climate resilience.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to adolescents and young people,” Dr Kisia said.

“We are scaling up youth-friendly services, strengthening partnerships, and integrating SRHR with mental health and climate resilience.”

The symposium, organised by the Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA), brought together youth leaders, government officials, civil society and development partners to co-create Kenya’s adolescent health agenda through 2030.

CSA Executive Director Humphres Evelia said the event symbolised a generational shift in leadership and participation.

“This symposium is not just a conference; it’s a conversation between generations—a bridge between data and lived experiences, between policy and passion,” he said.

CSA Board Chair Rosemarie Muganda Onyando reflected on the organisation’s early years and called for broader collaboration.

“The centre was founded to meet real needs in hospitals and communities,” she said. 

“Today, we must rethink how we build partnerships, advocate and bring new actors into adolescent health.”

At the county level, Velma Olunga, a youth coordinator from Kakamega, said child rights clubs are helping children understand and defend their rights through the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project.

“Introducing sex education to children is delicate, but child rights clubs help us involve them in discussions about their rights,” she said.

From Siaya County, Amanda Mulanda, an SRHR facilitator, shared how volunteering with CSA empowered her.

“After high school, I started volunteering at a youth-friendly centre. At first, I couldn’t even touch a condom because of my religious beliefs. Now I teach others about safe practices and their rights,” she said.

The CSA Horizon37 symposium marks a milestone in youth engagement, with organisers saying the focus is to turn dialogue into policy and empower young people as co-creators of Kenya’s health future.