Techiman records high pregnancy rate

Dr Patrick Aboagye, National Director of Family Health, says the Techiman Municipality is among the three areas in the country with the highest record of teenage pregnancy.

He said the situation is very alarming and therefore requires a collective effort of all in dealing with adolescent sexual and reproductive health challenges in the country.

Dr Patrick Aboagye was speaking at the launch of the National Adolescent Health Advocacy Week celebration on the theme: “Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy, a Shared Responsibility,” “at Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

He called for the collaborative efforts of stakeholders for the drastic reduction and eventual prevention of such unfortunate situation.

Dr Aboagye noted that the situation has brought about developmental challenges on the adolescent and mentioned irresponsible parenting and lack of communication between parents and children as some of the major factors.

He advised the youth to abstain from promiscuous behaviour, which is the major cause of teenage pregnancy and could also contribute to the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases.

Dr Donald Dickerson, Director of the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health (GHARH) Project observed the international community is increasingly recognising the importance of young people and had therefore focused their attention on them.

He said GHARH Project was an international project aimed at strengthening the Ghana Government’s capacity to manage, implement and expand its cost, effective adolescent reproductive health programme at the regional and national levels.

The GHARH Project had disbursed grants to 32 grantees, including the Ghana Health Service, National Youth Authority, Ghana Education Service, the Regional Coordinating Council, 27 Municipal and District Assemblies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), he added.

Dr Dickerson explained that the disbursement is supporting the implementation of the GHARH Project’s interventions at the community levels through working with local leaders to bring about change among the teenagers, adolescents and the youth in the society.

He emphasised that investing in sexual and reproductive health of the adolescent is the right and smart thing to do to shape, develop and empower the youth.

He said the project is also working closely with the Regional Directorate of Health Services and the District Health Management Teams to strengthen the provision of counseling and family planning services for young people.

Dr Dickerson mentioned that the project would support 54 health facilities in the Region to establish adolescent friendly corners to cater for the exclusive provision of counseling and other services to young people.