Investing in the Future: Prioritizing Youth Health on World Health Day and Beyond

Statement on the occasion of World Health Day, April 7th

• Written by Rebeca Marques Rocha

The most recent data from the World Bank and the World Health Organization indicate that at least half of the world's population does not have full coverage of essential health services. Currently, over 930 million people spend at least 10% of their household budgets on healthcare. This gap is even more significant among young people, particularly those that are marginalized or live in low and middle-income countries.

In 2021, Youth RISE surveyed its global network of young people. The survey showed that 33% of the respondents accessed health care services via out-of-pocket expenses and that, at some point, they had been denied access to health care due to financial constraints.

Young people worldwide still lack access to mental health care, comprehensive sexual & reproductive health services, and substance abuse treatment. For young people who use drugs (YPWUD), stigma, discrimination, and criminalization of drug use often prevent them from accessing quality healthcare services. Indeed, YPWUD are at higher risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis C, as well as overdosing.

Even in countries that provide harm reduction services, age limitations simply exclude young people as policy beneficiaries. For example, the 2022 Global State of Harm Reduction report shows that in Switzerland, YPWUD under 18 years old cannot access Opioid Agonist Therapy. The situation is worse in Sub-Saharan Africa where comprehensive harm reduction services, particularly Needle Syringe Programs, are not present.

In some countries, young people cannot access harm reduction, HIV testing, or sexual and reproductive health interventions without parental or guardian consent. As evidenced by the UNAIDS, this is worrisome, particularly for those experiencing family rejection. Lack of confidentiality is a major issue that causes care interruption for young people living with HIV, who would rather abstain from treatment than have their information compromised.

We need to work towards policies that specifically address the health needs of young people. For that, it is crucial that we are meaningfully involved in the design and implementation of policies and programs to ensure our unique needs are met.

The topic of the 2023 World Health Day is Health for All. To achieve this, we call on countries to invest in youth-friendly, accessible, and affordable healthcare services that can help improve the health outcomes of all young people, no matter where they are.