Bhubaneswar, Jan 23: In a step towards addressing the often-overlooked health needs of young people, a dedicated Youth Wellness Clinic (Tarunya) has been inaugurated at the Department of Paediatrics at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) here. Envisioned as a one-stop, adolescent-friendly health facility, the clinic focuses on the holistic wellbeing of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years.
Adolescence is widely recognised as a phase marked by rapid physical, hormonal, mental, social and emotional changes—factors that make young people particularly vulnerable and their health concerns distinct. Addressing these complexities, Tarunya is being positioned as one of the first clinics of its kind in the country, bringing together specialists from Paediatrics, Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Community Medicine under one roof. The clinic is led by Dr. Swarnalata Das, Professor of Paediatrics, who highlighted the need for a safe, confidential and supportive environment where adolescents can seek help without fear or stigma.
The Youth Wellness Clinic will provide guidance on growth and puberty, menstrual health and PCOS, nutritional counselling, stress, anxiety and exam-related pressures, relationship and communication challenges, substance use counselling, sexual and reproductive health education, as well as age-appropriate vaccinations. In response to emerging concerns, services will also extend to parental conflict and pressing issues such as social media overuse and digital addiction.
With a target of reaching at least 5,000 adolescents in its first year, the clinic aims to evolve into a model framework for holistic adolescent healthcare.
Functioning every Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, the clinic goes beyond treatment to place strong emphasis on prevention. As part of its outreach initiatives, health awareness programmes on safe and responsible media use, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and learning to say “no” respectfully will be conducted in schools, colleges and community settings.
The clinic was inaugurated by Principal and Dean, KIMS Prof. Dr R.C. Das. Medical Superintendent Dr. Manas Ranjan Behera, along with heads of departments and faculty members from Paediatrics, Psychiatry, O&G and Community Medicine, were present.
