State officials should take centre stage in family planning education

Kumasi, July 9, GNA - Stakeholders at a meeting on repositioning family planning in the Ashanti Region have urged government and other high ranking state officials, to get actively involved in family planning (FP) education.

The Presidency, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), District Chief Executives (DCEs) and leaders of state institutions, should talk more on the benefits of family planning services at official functions and outreach programmes.

This, they said, would encourage FP acceptance and help to rein the rapid population growth and reduce poverty in the country.

The meeting was organized by the Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the National Population Council (NPC).

It was meant to seek the views of the participants on how to effectively promote family planning activities in the Region.

Among those who attended were officials from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), NGOs in health, media practitioners, Ghana Education Service, traditional rulers, government agencies on women and children, social welfare and the statistical service.

The participants were unanimous in their position that government has a lot to do to bring about behavioural change among the people.

Nana Darko Montwi, Paramount Chief of Maaban Traditional Area, said it was important the government also empowered and resourced the NPC to undertake vigorous education campaign, especially in rural communities.

He said there is the need for social transformation and empowerment of the people to make informed choices on their reproductive health.

Dr Joseph Oduro, Deputy Regional Director in-charge of Public Health, said low patronage of family planning services has been a major challenge to achieving the targeted results.

He said the GHS has the capacity and available human and material resources, but the people, especially men, were not showing interest in the services.

Dr Akwasi Awudzi Yeboah, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health Services, stressed the need for one-on-one education, and called on NGOs and Community Based Organizations to assist dispel some of the misconceptions people have about FP.

Mrs Florence Hagan, Ashanti Regional Population Officer, called for collaborative effort of all stakeholders to educate and increase the acceptance rate of family planning services in the Region.