Ghana successful in Sexual and Reproductive Services - Prof. Sai

Accra, July 23, GNA - Professor Fred T. Sai, Presidential Advisor on Population, Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS on Monday said Ghana had advanced in addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

He attributed this success to a stronger political will and commitment not only from government but also health professionals and other non-governmental organisations working in the field. He said despite the successful strides chalked, the area still faced numerous challenges that when addressed would help achieved greater heights, citing the reduction of Ghana's maternal mortality from 800 per 100,000 live births to the barest minimal.

Prof. Sai who said this at a SRH stakeholders meeting in Accra as part of a study tour of Canadian and European Union Members of Parliament on SRH, said Ghana had enough policies and human resources but needed funds for effective and sustainable implementation. The study tour was to increase awareness and support for SRH issues among parliamentarians.

It was organised by the Ghana's Population Council (NPC) in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) Prod Sai appealed to donor countries to support developing countries for programmes without necessarily interfering in their programmes.

He mentioned areas such as unsafe abortion, unwanted pregnancy and neonatal deaths were some of the SRH problems the country was confronted with and assured that government was doing all it could to ensure the good health of women, children and the unborn babies.

Mrs Gladys Brew, Safe Motherhood Programme of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), there was a unmet need for contraception and that coverage was as low as 34 per cent, high maternal deaths, as well as high neonatal deaths, which stood at 43 per 1000 live births.

She explained that GHS had developed strategic plans to improve maternal and neonatal health, increase contraceptive use, enhance and promote reproductive health and strengthen partnerships. She attributed the high maternal deaths to some cultural practices among certain communities and said "our programme would be promoting reproductive health knowledge and health sexual behaviour among adolescents, vulnerable and reduce the incidence and manage the effects of harmful traditional practices relating to reproductive health."

Dr Henrietta Odoi-Agyarko, Deputy Director of Public Health and Family Planning of GHS, reiterated the fact that Ghana enough policies, frameworks, strategic documents and protocols to work with till 2011 and what needed were funds to work with.

She called on the Ghanaian Parliamentary Caucus on Population and Development to create a budget line to address sexual and reproductive health services. "We have the human resources and all we need is money so we can achieve the universal target of ensuring safe motherhood and saving the live of infants from preventable diseases".

Mr Francis Yankey, Executive Director (PPAG) who spoke on the "SRH Management in Ghana- The NGOs and Private Sector Perspective" said there over 4000 NGOs working in the area of SRH and called for the need to increase local resource mobilisation.

Mrs Viginia Ofosu-Armah, Chairperson of NPC said the total fertility rate had dropped from 6.4 per cent in 1988 to 4.4 per cent in 2003 whilst the use of modern contraceptives methods had increased from five percent in 1988 to 19 per cent in 2003.