The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kids & Teens Resource Centre” Martin-Mary Falana, has commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his administration’s investments in strengthening primary healthcare systems across Ekiti State, while calling for urgent reforms to make adolescent healthcare services more accessible and youth-friendly.
After a tour of a few health facilities across Oye and Ado-Ekiti LGAs, Falana praised the Governor’s commitment to upgrading primary healthcare centres, improving infrastructure, and expanding access to basic health services, describing these efforts as a strong foundation for integrating and scaling adolescent and youth-friendly health services across the state.
Speaking further, Falana expressed deep concern over the current state of adolescent health, warning that the future may be bleak if proactive measures are not taken to prevent a looming catastrophe affecting today’s young people. He called on the government, development partners, and other stakeholders to prioritize adolescent reproductive health by investing in services that respond to the unique needs of young people and ensuring healthcare systems are accessible, confidential, and non-judgmental.
According to him, adolescent healthcare services in Ekiti State are still not fully designed to meet the needs of young people, remain fragmented and underdeveloped, and are only gradually improving largely through NGO-led efforts. He noted that stigma, lack of confidentiality, and limited access to trained providers continue to discourage many adolescents from seeking care, leaving them vulnerable to preventable health risks.
Kids & Teens Resource Centre has been at the forefront of addressing these challenges, providing HIV awareness sensitisation, counselling, and testing services for adolescents and young people in Ekiti State through school-based outreach, community engagement, and youth-focused programmes.
“To safeguard the future of our young people, we must act now. We need a system that listens to them, protects their privacy, and provides the right support without judgment,” Falana stated.
He emphasized the urgent need to scale up Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Health Services across primary healthcare centres, invest in capacity building for healthcare providers to improve service delivery and attitudes, expand community-led and youth-led interventions, and integrate adolescent health programming with existing initiatives such as Family Life and HIV Education and the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future programmes.
Falana noted that strengthening these areas will not only improve health outcomes but also empower young people to make informed decisions, contributing to safer communities and sustainable development in Ekiti State.
As calls for action intensify, there is growing optimism that coordinated efforts between government, civil society, and development partners will result in a more responsive and youth-centered healthcare system that effectively safeguards the future of young people in Ekiti State.
