Adolescent Health Policy in India with particular focus on Anwesha Clinics in West Bengal

According to 2011 census data, there are 253 million adolescents in the age group 10-19 years, which comprise little more than one-fifth of India’s total population. This age group comprises of individuals in a transient phase of life requiring nutrition, education, counselling and guidance to ensure their development into healthy adults. Considering demographic potential of this group for high economic growth, it’s critical to invest in their education, health, and development. Health and health care development has not been a priority of the Indian state. This is reflected in two significant facts. Firstly, the low level of investment and allocation of resources to the health sector over the years (about one percent of GDP) with clear declining trends over the last decade. And secondly, the uncontrolled very rapid development of an unregulated private health sector, especially in the last two decades. Structured health policy making and health planning in India is not a post-independence phenomena. In fact, the most comprehensive health policy and plan document ever prepared in India was on the eve of Independence in 1946. Universal coverage of the population through some health plan is historically well entrenched today, whether this be through health insurance or state run health services. There is no developed country, whether capitalist or socialist, which has not insured through either of the above means or a combination a minimum standard of health care for its population. India’s recent decision to