India is home to over 200 million adolescents with severe health needs that should be addressed at the earliest opportunity. The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) caters to these requirements, working towards achieving its primary vision.

Keep scrolling to learn about RKSK, including its vision, objectives, target groups and strategies.

On 7th January 2014, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) implemented a health program- Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, for children of age group 10 to 19 years to effectively address their reproductive health, substance abuse and nutritional issues. Its fundamental principles are Gender Equity, Equity and inclusion, adolescent leadership and participation and strategic collaborations with other stakeholders and sectors.

MOHFW has collaborated with UNFPA to develop a National Adolescent Health Strategy to guide the implementation of this scheme. RKSK restructures the recurring and curative medical-based approach to a more integrated model to continue caring for the requirements of adolescent development and health.

In addition, RKSK focuses on addressing the health issues of 24.3 crore adolescents through interventions that are community-based. The scheme is jointly underpinned by state governments and other ministries, including health, education and labour sectors and the adolescents' families as well as communities.

Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram envisages ensuring the following:

• To enable all adolescents to become more equipped with making responsible and informed life choices
• Acquiring services and support is essential for adolescents to maintain health and well-being
• Comprehending the challenges related to their health and development
• Confirming an effective transition to adulthood
• Considering the multi-dimensional health requirements and concerns of adolescents at different stages

The primary objectives of this scheme include-

1. Improve Nutrition

• Curb malnutrition among adolescents (both boys and girls)
• Reduce iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among adolescents (both boys and girls)

2. Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health

• Enhance knowledge, attitude and behaviour on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) 
• Curtail teenage pregnancies
• Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
• Improve birth preparedness, complication readiness and provide insights on early parenting guidance for adolescent parents

3. Strengthen Mental Health

• Promote healthy emotional well-being among adolescents

4. Reduce Injuries and Violence

• Encourage favourable behaviour to prevent violent tendencies

5. Prevent Substance Misuse

• Increasing awareness of the adverse effects and consequences of substance misuse

6. Report NCDs

• Promote behavioural changes among adolescents to control non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, hypertension, cancer etc.

The Adolescent Health (AH) strategy aims at 10 to 14 years and 15 to 19 years with universal coverage. That means it includes both males and females of all urban and rural areas, studying in and out of school, married as well as unmarried, and under-served and vulnerable.

The strategies implemented to achieve the objectives of the RKSK scheme can be broadly classified into the following groups -

1. Interventions

• Community-based interventions including-
  • Peer Education (PE)
  • Quarterly Adolescent Health Day (AHD)
  • Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Programme (WIFS)
  • Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS)
• Facility-based interventions to strengthen Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC)

2. Convergence

• Health and Family Welfare schemes and programs such as-
  • National Tobacco Control Programme
  • National Mental Health Programme
  • Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram 
  • National AIDS Control Programme 
  • NCDs 
  • IEC and more
• Other schemes and departments like-
  • WCD (including ICDS, KSY, BSY, SABLA)
  • HRD (AEP, MDM)
  • Youth Affairs and Sports (Adolescent Empowerment Scheme, National Service Scheme, NYKS, NPYAD)

3. Change in Communication

Inculcating social and behavioural change in communication to effectively improve their interpersonal communication skills

At present, there are over 25.3 crore adolescents in India, with every fifth person between 10 and 19 years old. Therefore, the Indian Government implemented RKSK scheme, seeking to build the adolescent population into active participants in the empowerment process.