The County Government of Mombasa has launched the 2018 - 2023 Adolescent and Young People (AYP) strategy guideline that will help promote youthful programmes in the County.
Speaking during the launch at Tononoka Grounds, Devolution and Public Service Administration CeC Seth Odongo said the strategy is important for the county in terms of education and protecting the lives of young people against teen pregnancies, early marriages and sexual exploitation.
The County's Health Services CeC Fatma Awale who led the event urged the youth to make good use of the youth friendly centres in Mombasa health facilities that supports young people to access comprehensive reproductive health services.
The centres include; Youth Zone at the County Government Headquarters (CGH), Youth Centres in Tudor, Portrietz and Mlaleo Hospitals.
Awale disclosed that adolescents and young people aged 15 - 24 years have continued to be disproportionately affected by HIV.
According to the CeC, the HIV prevalence among young and adult people in Mombasa is 4.1%; the number of youth living with HIV stands at 4, 702; while the total number of adolescents affected by HIV is 3, 164.
Awale said the country has continued to make investments in HIV response, but adolescents and young people have not realised the benefits of these investments despite many programmatic and political commitments.
Also in attendance were the Youth, Gender, Sports and Cultural Affairs CeC - Kelvin Kyalo, his counterpart Godfrey Nato, County Chief Officer Public Health Ms. Aisha Abubakar and LVCT Director Dr. Wanjiru Mukoma among others.