Lucy, a shy and introverted teenager couldn’t speak out when she noticed symptoms such as increased vaginal discharge, itching caused by vaginal infection obtained from poor sanitary system in her home. Living in a face-me-I-face-you apartment with just two toilets and bathrooms for over fifty occupants due to presence of a bakery which housed lots of workers; reproductive health issues such as vaginitis, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases etc become common occurrences.

She found it difficult confiding in anyone because she believed any issue involving her genital area was too private to be discussed as it may send a wrong message that she was sexually active or promiscuous for her to have come down with such symptoms. She bottled it up and could only seek temporary relieve from drugs she obtained from a chemist nearby. She experienced several reoccurrences of these symptoms and resigned to faith that it was her cross to bear even though she wasn’t in any way involved in any sexual practice.

Now an adult and married, she just found out the reason for her difficulty in conceiving after three (3) years of trying to have a baby was as a result of years of untreated infections. After visiting the hospital and series of tests conducted, she was diagnosed of having blocked fallopian tubes requiring surgery and with little or no chance of ever conceiving.

This and many more are the plights young people face due to lack of accessible, acceptable and appropriate Adolescence and Youth friendly reproductive health services. Other young persons have picked up harmful sexual practices due to lack of right information about their sexual health.

I am calling on the Minister of Health and the chairman of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Board (NPHCDA) to hasten the implementation of the National guidelines for the Integration of Adolescent and Youth friendly services into Primary Health Care facilities in Nigeria (2013). It is almost becoming true that Nigeria has the best of policies with other countries coming to borrow from but alas; these policies are tucked away in cabinets with little or no will for their implementation.

Sign the petition and join us in ensuring the implementing of these guidelines which would help encourage future health-seeking behaviors of youths, empower them with adequate knowledge and skills for their protection as well as reduce risk of life threatening conditions such as permanent damage to vital reproductive organs, contracting STIs, unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion etc.