PANCAP’s Youth Advisor, Dr Astel Collins (Hon.), recently represented PANCAP at a workshop aimed at building capacity for the implementation of the Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!) guidance.  The workshop was implemented by PAHO/WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF.  The purpose of the workshop was to assist governments in deciding what they plan to do – and how they plan to do it – as they respond to the health needs of adolescents in their countries. The AA-HA! is intended as a reference document for national-level policy makers and programme managers to provide them with step-by-step guidance for setting their national priorities, and translation of these priorities into plans and programmes. The training focused on how to conduct a proper needs assessment, how to do a landscape analysis, how to set national priorities, how to identify key areas for programming and then monitoring and evaluation.

Participants of AA-HA!

The discussion at the workshop focused on adolescents being central to the overall success of the 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children and Adolescents’ Health is leading the way in articulating the actions needed to capitalise on existing achievements from the MDGs, operationalise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and assure that the unfinished MDG agenda is addressed within one generation. Therefore, investing in adolescents brings a triple benefit: 1) healthy adolescents now; 2) Healthy adults in the future and 3) healthy future generations. Moreover, any nation that successfully implements the AA-HA! guidance to develop their adolescent will have a reduction of preventable adolescent and youth morbidity and mortality, their risk factors and determinants, and the risk factors for premature adult mortality. As well as the promotion of positive adolescent and youth health and development.

PANCAP Youth Advisor, Dr Astell Collins

Dr Collins reported that the team from Guyana will create a multi-sectoral, multi-agency steering committee and appoint a focal point which is likely to be from the Ministry of Public Health and then subsequently create a work plan for the AA-HA strategy development in Guyana. The first meeting is scheduled to be held in January 2018.