My Dear AHA Family!
Warm greetings from Dr. Sushma Desai, the Chairperson of AHA IAP 2026.
I feel delighted and honoured to get connected with you all through our AHA website, which is very meticulously crafted by our website committee, under the leadership of Esteemed AHAian Dr. Samir Shah.
The purpose is for all our esteemed members to stay connected with as well as to be part of the AHA activities. Also, to gain access to the resource materials created and published by our own members from various platforms. The corner specifically created for the parents & other stakeholders will help them get their queries solved by the experts in the field of Adolescent Health.
As we all know, Adolescence is a unique and transformative phase of life—marked by rapid physical growth, emotional changes, evolving social relationships, and the gradual development of identity. It is a period of immense potential, but also one of vulnerability. As Chairperson of the Adolescent Health Academy (AHA), a subspecialty chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), I consider it both an honor and a responsibility to work toward safeguarding the health and well-being of our Pre Teens and Adolescents.
In today’s fast-changing world, adolescents face challenges that go far beyond physical health. Mental health concerns, academic stress, nutritional issues, menstrual and pubertal disorders, risk-taking behaviors, digital overexposure, and lifestyle-related problems are increasingly common. These concerns often go unrecognized or unaddressed, leading to long-term consequences. AHA was established with the vision of bridging this critical gap through evidence-based, adolescent-friendly, and holistic care.
Our mission at AHA is to empower pediatricians and healthcare professionals with updated knowledge, practical skills, and sensitive approaches to adolescent health. Through academic activities, guidelines, workshops, advocacy, and community outreach, we strive to promote comprehensive care that respects confidentiality, builds trust, and encourages healthy decision-making among young people.
Equally important is collaboration. Adolescent health cannot be addressed in isolation. Parents, teachers, schools, policymakers, and healthcare providers must work together to create supportive environments where adolescents feel heard, understood, and guided rather than judged.
At the end, I would like to conclude by showing a glimpse of the various programs & projects under the National Action Plan of AHA :
1) The Project Pre Teens : As we all have experienced in our Paediatric Practice,, the Age of Onset of Pubertal change is declining. The Age group 8-12 years is the unique window of opportunity to prepare the children and their parents/stakeholders about anticipatory physical, psychosocial, mental/emotional/behavioural and sexual changes that occur with the onset of puberty, to make the transition to adolescence smoother. We have created the awareness programs to be conducted for the Paediatrician, Parents/ Teachers, as well as the Pre-Teens themselves in the form of scientifically prepared modules.
2) In the year 2026, we have planned to involve the Paediatrics Post Graduate students in the comprehensive Pre Teen & Adolescent Health Care through a monthly webinar series “ P.G.PEARLS” in collaboration with the Medical colleges nationwide.
3) Inter-Chapter Webinar series: AHA will be joining hands with different sub-chapters of IAP to do case discussions on various subjects & topics related to Adolescent health care, in the form of a series of monthly webinars
4) AHA is going to provide a research platform on various aspects of Pre Teen & Adolescent Health care, to begin with, nationwide data collection on 1) The waist circumference & Waist/height ratio ( for the assessment of central obesity ) 2) Vaccination Status of 8-19 years age groups.
As Chairperson, I assure you that AHA remains committed to excellence in education, research, and advocacy in adolescent health. Together, let us invest in our adolescents—not just as future adults, but as individuals who deserve informed, compassionate, and respectful care today.
With Warm Regards
Dr. Sushma Desai.
The Chairperson AHA 2026