On 19 June 2018, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines launched its National Action Plan for Adolescent Health and Development in collaboration PAHO/WHO. The plan was developed following recommendations of WHO AA-HA! guidance document; as such, it involved stakeholders from various ministries, civil society and faith-based organizations.
The involvement of so many stakeholders provided "a rich picture of the social, cultural, legal, and economic situation of adolescents and youth and the gaps that needed to be filled to meet the health and development needs of young people," said Godfrey Xuereb, PAHO/WHO representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
The country is the first in the region and among the first in the world to have developed and approved the Adolescent Health and Development Action Plan using AA-HA! guidance, according to Dr. Xuereb.
"We are thrilled that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has taken this important step to prioritize the health of their young people," said Sonja Caffe, regional advisor on adolescent health at PAHO.
