Objective

• To introduce the Adolescent health website and mobile App with the urban school adolescents.
• To conduct basic physical examination by medical doctors and nurses in the schools.
• To provide counselling services to the students from class six to ten on SRH, child marriage and nutrition.
• To conduct mental health sessions by clinical psychologist with urban school adolescents.

Expected Outcome

• Urban adolescents learnt about and used the Adolescent Health Website and Mobile App.
• Urban adolescents gathered knowledge about AFSH and its services
• Adolescents received free health checkup; counseling on SRH, child marriage and nutrition by medical professionals; and mental health counselling provided by clinical psychologist.

Program details

Dnet will be conducting a day long school health camp for adolescent in selected schools.

• There will be 2 camps initially for the pilot phase in 2 different schools; one in Dhaka city and another in Khulna. A third school may also be included.
• Adolescents from class six to ten will be the target group for the camps.
• Doctors from Dnet will conduct the physical examination and counselling sessions. There will be at least 4 medical doctors and 2 nurses.
• One clinical psychologist specialized on adolescent mental health will conduct sessions on mental health.
• Dnet representatives will introduce the adolescent health portal to the school adolescents.
• UNICEF will provide technical support for the camps.
• The program will be conducted under the supervision of Dnet and the school authority.
• The program will attempt to get support from DGHS, DGFP & DSHE.
• The initiatives will be scaled up in the second phase to Rajshahi, Chittagong and Sylhet subject to fund availability.
• Subject to fund availability, it will then be scaled up to include other schools in all metropolitan areas across Bangladesh.

Piloting of school health camp program will be conducted by Dnet with the support of UNICEF and GoB. There will be two phase of piloting. In the first phase, the camp will be conducted in 2 selected schools; one in Dhaka city and another in Khulna city. UNICEF will provide technical assistance by sharing the knowledge materials. In consultation with DGFP and DSHE schools will be selected. Dnet will also collect a letter of support from concerned authorities to conduct the program.

Dnet is targeting to provide service to at least 200 adolescents in each camp. Each adolescent will get physical examination, counseling on SRH & nutrition, mental health session and introduction on Adolescent Health website. Additionally, if needed, they will be referred to AFHS centers.

Sustainability Model

The idea of this health camp is to develop a model and build a support system for adolescent group of young people in terms of physical and mental health dilemma and complex situations which should be dealt with by medical professionals. Within the parameter of their schools, it is easier to reach the targeted community and a good amount of data can be collected from the participants which will lead to a qualitative needs assessment of SRHR issues among the urban adolescents. This definitely will sensitize the policymakers to reinforce more user-oriented services at national level.

Dnet will also seek funding from Government, donor agencies and the private sectors to implement the program beyond the Pilot phase. The ultimate goal is to hand over the project to the Government to scale up across the country.