Ministry of Health unveils an adolescent, youth health and life skill literacy app

Addis Ababa, December 9, 2021 (FBC) – The Ethiopian Ministry of Health together with its partners has launched adolescent and youth health and life skill literacy technology named Yenetab mobile application.

The mobile application has been developed by the Consortium of Reproductive Health Associations (CORHA) together with United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH).

While launching the application, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Director at Ministry of Health, Dr. Meseret Zelalem noted that in today’s world adolescents and young people rely on their mobile devices as sources of information so that ‘Yenetab Mobile Application’, which is available on Google play store, is proving to be an authentic source of health information with a strong emphasis on adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health rights.

Dr. Meseret indicated that the application will provide services with English and five local languages; Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afarigna and Somaligna.

The government has undertaken fruitful activities in improving adolescent and youth health, Dr. Meseret underlined, adding that the app will have a paramount importance in scaling up such achievements.

Betelhem Bezabih; a Project officer from CORHA during her presentation about the Yenetab mobile application explains the app will help youth to access credible information on their health, sexual and reproductive concerns as well as life skills information during this time of COVID-19.

‘‘The development of the new app is particularly timely now when young people are not able to freely visit youth-friendly centers as they normally would due to restrictions arising from the coronavirus pandemic’’  Betelehem noted.

“The app is intended for those who wants to improve their knowledge on youth health, sexual and reproductive health issues as well as life skills, though it is specially tailored for young people. It is a multi-functional application that offers youth important information about their health engagingly’’ she added.

Yenetab mobile application is composed of different navigation tabs that includes different segments discussing puberty, relationships, sexual and reproductive health, substance use, and skills. There are also tabs where users can contact the call center to ask questions which are then responded to by an expert. The different tabs were recommended by information and technology experts who the mobile application developers worked with together with a consultant during its development.

Combining accessible five local (Amharic, Afar, Tigrigna, Afan Oromo and Somali) and one international (English) languages with a youth-friendly gem is indispensable in an environment where young people are looking for real information about their health. Yenetab mobile application can have the potential to help adolescents and youth learn new things. The mobile application is an educational platform that allows youth to consult from the comfort of their home and benefit from the advice of the app, right where they are.

The app’s relevance in helping Ethiopian youth access credible health and life skills information will continue even after the coronavirus pandemic.