This document outlines India's Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) or National Adolescent Health Programme. The program was developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with UNFPA to provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to adolescent health across India. It aims to improve nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, prevent injuries and violence, address substance abuse, and screen for non-communicable diseases among 10-19 year olds. The program focuses on peer education, helplines, training, parental involvement, and participatory monitoring to achieve its objectives.

1. Dr Rukman Mecca
Resident ,CM
KEM Seth GSMC

2. AIM
 To create awareness in all adolescents, their full
potential by making informed and responsible
decisions related to their health and well being
 To assess services and support for achieving so

3.  For the first time government of India has adopted a
comprehensive programme to address all aspects of
adolescent health in the country.
 It is the first major step towards continuum of care
concept promoted by world health organization.

4.  The new adolescent health (AH) strategy focuses on
age groups 10-19 years with universal coverage.

5. Objectives
Improve Nutrition
Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health
Enhance Mental Health
Prevent Injuries and violence
Prevent substance misuse
Screen for non communicable diseases

6. Strategy
 MOHFW in collaboration with UNFPA developed a
National Adolescent Health Policy for the
implementation of this programme.
 It realigns the current clinic-based curative approach
to a more holistic model, based on a continuum of care
for adolescent health and developmental needs.

7. What’s new about RKSK?
There were 147 Centrally Sponsored Schemes till 2013
budget for adolescents
1. RKSK will bring in several new dimensions such as
mental health, nutrition, substance misuse, gender
based violence and non-communicable diseases
2. Programme introduces community based
interventions through peer educators, and is
underpinned by collaborations with other Ministries

8.  3. At present the Government’s strategic approach in
health sector is RMNCH+A
 4. The programme is an effort to move away from a
‘doctor driven’ effort towards a holistic and
participative programme.
 5. The programme emphasis seven ‘Cs”
 6. Active use of new technologies and social media
platforms to reach the adolescents in their own spaces,

9. The 6 themes in the framework
1.Nutrition
 To reduce the prevalence of malnutrition among
adolescent girls and boys
 To reduce prevalence of IDA among adolescents girls
and boys
Intervetion
Community level- Counseling on balanced diet , Inclusion
of nutritional education @ school level
Health care based - Management of Low BMI,
Counselling at AFHC

10. 2.Sexual and Reproductive Health(SRH)
 To improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in
relation to SRH
 To promote healthy menstrual hygiene practices among
adolescent girls
 To improve birth preparedness and complication
readiness among adolescents
 To reduce teenage pregnancies

11. Intervention
@Community level
 Life skills focused AEPs through schools, Sanitary
napkins provision and proper disposal, Helpline services etc
@Healthcare level
 Treatment of STIs
 HIV testing and counseling
 Comprehensive abortion care through linkages with
MTP clinics

12. 3.Mental health
 To address mental health concerns of adolescents
Intervention
@Community level
 Adolescent clubs
@Health care level
 Counseling
 Referral and management of mental health disorders
through linkage with the national mental health
programme

13. 4.Preventing Injuries and Violence
 To promote favorable attitudes against injuries and
violence, including Gender Based Violence among
adolescents
Intervention@Community level
 Issues related to gender stereotypes, discrimination and
injuries/violence taken up in Kishori Samoohs through Sabla,
Department of WCD, boys and girls groups in NYKS teen clubs
and others, as relevant
@Health facility-based
 Management of injuries and sexual abuse as per protocol in
AFHCs

14. 5.Substance misuse
 To raise awareness on adverse effects and consequences
of substance misuse

15. 6.Non-Communicable Diseases
 To promote behavior change for prevention of NCDs,
hypertension, stroke, cardio-vascular diseases and
diabetes

16.  Community
 Awareness of healthy lifestyles
 Community-Based Institutions
 Incorporation of physical activity in schools ,
 life skills-focused AEP
 Screening for diabetes in the State Health Plan
 Health facility-based
 Screening and management of NCDs through relevant
programmes

17.  In addition the program is focusing on 7 critical
components in each program area(7c).
 Coverage
 Content
 Community
 Clinics
 counseling
 Communication
 Convergence

18. How Will We Get There?
 Peer Education
 to ensure that adolescents benefit from regular and
sustained peer education covering nutrition, sexual and
reproductive health, conditions for NCDs, substance
misuse, injuries, violence and mental health

19.  Adolescent Helpline
 Many states are in the process of setting up a 104
Helpline for health related information for the public at
large and service providers as well as grievance redressal.

20.  Training
 The State Nodal Officer AH should prepare a
comprehensive district wise training plan across all
components of AH

21.  Strengthening Role of Parents
 State needs to identify strategies to work with existing
parent-teacher associations/similar platforms to
sensitize parents on adolescent health.
 During Adolescent Health Day the Counselor or the
trained MO/ ANM should hold group sessions with
parents for awareness.

22. Monitoring and Surveillance
 The proposed monitoring system will monitor inputs,
processes and outputs.

23. The focus will be to monitor activities in:
 Planning of interventions
 Making informed decisions regarding operations,
management and service delivery to adolescents
 Judicious allocation of resources, ensuring their
effective and efficient use
 Evaluating the extent to which the strategy has had the
desired impact on the lives of adolescents

24. Participatory monitoring is based
on the following core principles:
 Considering primary stakeholders as active
participants, not just sources of information
 Building the capacity of local people to analyze, reflect
and take action
 Ensuring joint learning of stakeholders at various
levels
 Catalyzing commitment for taking corrective action

25. References
 MoHFW
 Johnson LR. Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram
(RKSK).Academic Medical Journal of India. 2014 Feb
27;2(1):42.
 https://www.scribd.com/document/214180448/Rashtri
ya-Kishor-Swasthya-Karyakram-RKSK-and-RMNCH-A