Sex among children on the rise in Ghana – Expert

Some health experts in Ghana have warned Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) may hit an alarming rate in the country if the widespread menace of early sex and unprotected sexual intercourse among the youth are not curbed

More than one million people Worldwide are diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STI) every day with 1 in every 25 people globally having at least one of four infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis.

According to World Health Organization(WHO), there were more than 376 million new cases of STIs among men and women aged 15 and 49 worldwide in 2016, the latest year for which data is available.

The WHO report detailed that 127 million new infection cases of chlamydia were recorded while 87 million people also infected with gonorrhea whereas that of syphilis stood at 6 million of syphilis while 156 million people were infested with trichomoniasis.

STI’s are transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal and oral sex. In some cases, the diseases are passed from mother to child during pregnancy. For Syphilis it can be transmitted through contact with infected blood. Syphilis ,according to statistics alone causes more than 200,000 newborn deaths and stillbirths each year worldwide.

If left untreated, STIs can cause stillbirths,ectopic pregnancy, infertility and increase ones vulnerability to HIV.

The condition according to the Senior Medical Officer at the Community Hospital in Akyem Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region, Dr.Charles Debrah, is getting worst in Ghana due to alarming indiscriminate and unprotected sexual intercourse among the youth.

“Previously sex was sacred those times, but now sex is increasing and everybody as young as 12 will be having sex without even knowing the implications so as a country we are getting worst when it comes to STDs”.

He added “Everyday 1 million people get STDs worldwide, and the STDs are dangerous especially to the female you talk about the bacteria ones. Many ladies will never get to know they have it. If you have 10 ladies only 1 will get to know she has the disease because it hasn’t manifested in them. For the men, out of ten, seven of them will know they have the diseases which will come like discharges. The ladies get to know when they already have the complications – infertility is one of the complications associated with untreated STDs in females. For the viral ones they stay in your life and you cannot cure it -talk about HIV/AIDS, Hapititis” .

Dr. Charles Debrah said this in an interview with Starr News at the sidelines of a Sex education Conference organized for about 15 schools in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region by Sex and Beauty Ambassador -Charlotte Okyere in collaboration with the Community Hospital Group.

The Sex and Beauty Ambassador is campaigning against early sexual intercourse among young girls.

Charlotte Okyere also Human Resource Manager for the Community Hospitals Group conscientized the young ladies at the conference on the importance of abstaining from sex till marriage which she said is associated with respect, ability to focus on education career and avoiding contracting STIs.

She was optimistic that “abstinence is possible .I always use myself as an example, I had sex only after getting married at 28 so it is possible they can abstain.My area is rural communities and this deprived communities are where statistically you get young girls 11 years ,12 years pregnant so we want to focus there”.

Also present at the program were Rev Anthony Okyere – resident pastor of Pleasant Palace Church- east Legon ,Nana Amponsah Adepa Yeboah I Akyem Tafo Kyidomhene and other officials of Ghana Education Service.