Living in places with low healthcare facilities will increase adolescents’ health risk by 2030: Lancet

🌍 Over 1.1 Billion Teenagers Face Avoidable Health Risks, Warns Lancet Commission

New Delhi —
A groundbreaking report from the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing has raised serious concerns: 1.1 billion adolescents worldwide are expected to live in regions plagued by avoidable health problems due to under-resourced healthcare systems, stigma, and lack of targeted global investment.

📊 Key Findings:

• Based on 2021 Global Burden of Disease data, the report highlights that adolescents (ages 10–19) in many regions remain vulnerable to preventable diseases and poor health outcomes.

• Adolescents make up 24% of the global population (approx. 2 billion people) but receive only 2.4% of global health and development funding.

🏥 Challenges Identified:

1. Weak Health Infrastructure:

   • Many countries lack adequately staffed and equipped adolescent health services.

   • There’s a shortage of trained professionals to meet adolescents’ unique physical and mental health needs.

2. Stigma and Social Barriers:

   • Mental health issues and adolescent pregnancy are often left unaddressed due to fear of stigma and discrimination.

   • This results in delayed or denied access to essential services.

3. Violence and Education Gaps:

   • Nearly 50% of teenagers globally have experienced violence, impacting their emotional development.

   • While progress in gender parity in education has been made, 1 in 3 young women may not be in education, employment, or training by 2030.

🌆 Urbanisation Risks and Opportunities:

• By 2050, 70% of adolescents will live in urban areas.

• Rapid, unplanned urbanisation may lead to:

  • Increased poverty, loneliness, and housing instability.

• However, investing in youth-friendly public spaces could significantly improve mental health, safety, and social inclusion.

💡 What the Commission Recommends:

• Urgent global investment in:

  • Youth-friendly healthcare systems.

  • Reproductive rights and mental health support.

  • Violence prevention programs.

• Make urban environments safer and more engaging for adolescents.

• Prioritise inclusive education and job training to ensure meaningful opportunities beyond secondary school.

📢 Why This Matters:

• Health problems in adolescence shape long-term well-being, economic productivity, and intergenerational health.

• According to researchers, led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), ensuring adolescent well-being is not just a health issue, but a global social and economic imperative.