Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!): guidance to support country implementation
WHO and partners recommend actions to improve adolescent health
More than 3000 adolescents die every day from largely preventable causes, according to a new report from WHO and partners. Global accelerated action for the health of adolescents (AA-HA!): Guidance to support country implementation – assists governments in what to do – as well as how to do it – as they respond to the health needs of adolescents in their countries. Case studies show that what is being recommended actually can be done. The full document with case studies, a summary document, a comic book, brochure and infographics are available below.
Summary and main document
Comic book
The case for action
Adolescents bear a substantial proportion of the global disease and injury burden
- Adolescents are one sixth of the world’s population.
- They account for 6% of the world’s global burden of disease and injury.
- The recent very rapid declines in mortality among infants and young children have not been mirrored among adolescents.
- Adolescence is the period when many risky behaviours start having a major impact on their health as adults.
- Adolescent health needs particular attention in humanitarian and fragile settings.
Estimated top five causes of adolescent death by sex and age, 2015

Source: Global Health Estimates 2015: Deaths by Cause, Age, Sex, by Country and by Region, 2000-2015. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2016.