Health walk launched in Henan

Henan, 11 July 2014 – Today, Henan Provincial Government, in partnership with the China Center for Health Education, UNICEF, launched an exciting new mobile health application called Health Walk.  The user friendly app is designed to help young people identify youth friendly services including counselling and services for HIV and sexual reproductive health.  

The app has been designed to support young people identify youth friendly services on a map, share information and feedback on services and also encourage them to support peer participation in HIV prevention, care and also encourage young people to engage in volunteer activities.  The app also seeks to integrate and standardize adolescent youth friendly services, and better collect and monitor the quality of services.

“We know from global evidence, that to protect young people, especially those most at risk; like out of school youth, young migrant workers and youth in high HIV prevalence areas, we need to bring the services to them in a youth friendly way that engages them and makes them feel safe,” said Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative.   “We need to end the stigma and discrimination that often prevents young people, especially from poor or marginalized groups, from seeking the help and guidance they need We hope that Health Walk can overcome some of these barriers.”

In China, although the health of young people has improved substantially over the last thirty years, rapid social change has increased new HIV related risk behaviour and also increased the threat of non-communicable diseases. 

Nationally HIV infection among youth aged 15 to 24 is on the steady increase.  From January to October 2012, there were a total of 9,514 reported cases, a 12.8 per cent increase compared to the same period of 2011.   Sexual transmission has increased from 42.3 per cent in 2007 to 90.8 per cent in 2013.  It also replaced injection drug use as the main mode of transmission*.

An estimated 40 per cent of young people are estimated needed to have better sexual and reproductive health consultation and 27.1 per cent were in need for treatment. However, over half of the needs for counselling and treatment are not fulfilled. Embarrassment, ignorance about HIV and not knowing where and from whom they can get the service are the main barriers to young people's access to services. 

“We know that young people want to engage and be active participants” said Zhang Lei, a HIV specialist with UNICEF China. “This APP is a tool we hope can stimulate them to get engaged in their own health and help share the information to help their peers.”

Health Walk APP, which is being piloted in Henan, is building on efforts to prevent new adolescence HIV infections by investing in better youth friendly services as well as youth participation activities. Already, two new youth friendly facilities have opened at two provincial hospitals, where staff and youth volunteers will be trained. In addition, a network of youth ambassadors have been rolled out to help to strengthen HIV prevention services.

*State Council AIDS Working Committee Office, United Nations Theme Group on AIDS in China, A Joint Assessment of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in China(2007), 2007