The Commissioner for Health, Enugu State, Prof. George Ugwu, on Tuesday, said the state had prioritised the physical and mental well-being of adolescents and youths through relevant initiatives and collaborations.
The commissioner made the disclosure during the 2025 International Adolescent Health Week held at the ministry in Enugu. The theme of the event was “Thriving Inside and Out”.
According to him, there was a need to strengthen both physical and mental health to ensure optimal development and productivity among the youths in the state.
Ugwu thanked MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices for partnering with the ministry in the initiative, noting that Gov. Peter Mbah’s regime was focused on young people through strategic health and development interventions across the state. He mentioned such interventions by the state to include the construction of Smart Green Schools across the state’s 260 political wards.
Quoting him, “We ensure no adolescent is left out of school. That’s the first step in preventing adverse health outcomes.”
He added that the recent marathon races and sports festivals led by the government were to improve health, promote youth engagement, and reduce health risks among young people.
He said health talks and medical education had been scaled up in the state and encouraged adolescents to get medical healthcare services and make informed decisions about their well-being.
On the health of the girl child in the state, the commissioner stated that the governor’s wife, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, had been embarking on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health across various communities and school groups through her pet project.
He said, “These efforts are to support mental stability and empower our adolescents. When you create opportunities, mental health improves.”
He therefore advised parents, carers, NGOs, and the general public to key into relevant initiatives aimed at guiding and supporting adolescents to become healthier and more productive members of society.
Also speaking, the Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr Uche Chukwu Okenwa, identified health challenges that confront adolescents to include anxiety, depression, peer pressure, violence, drug abuse, and challenges from the digital environment.
He said the Mbah administration would not be able to address physical health without supporting mental wellness, which was why it promoted mental resilience in both schools and communities across the state.
The Regional Manager of MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, Dr Elvis Umeh, stated that peer influence was limiting adolescents’ access to youth-friendly services, which the organisation was addressing through behavioural change communication.
Umeh, represented by China Agha, the social behavioural change officer, stated that the organisation would continue to partner with the ministry in addressing mental health education in schools.
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