Government pledges action to close family planning funding gap

Minister of health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has launched the 'FP2030 Made Possible by Family Planning' campaign, reaffirming the government’s commitment to expanding access to family planning services.

He described the occasion as a celebration of Ghana’s progress and pledged bold action to close the funding gap.

“This campaign will ensure that women and girls everywhere have the freedom and ability to lead healthy lives, make informed decisions about using contraception and having children, and participate as equals in society and its development,” he said.

Ghana has since 1960 established the National Family Planning Programme to improve overall health and well-being, providing access to contraception and reproductive health services.

“We have worked hard to improve access to contraception and reproductive health services. Today’s launch is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the future,” he stated.

The campaign highlights the transformative impact of family planning on health, economic growth, and individual empowerment.

It seeks to raise momentum, funding, and leadership towards universal family planning.

Mr. Yusuf Nuhu, Senior Lead Advocacy, Accountability, and Partnership Manager of FP2030’s North, West, and Central Africa Hub, stated that Ghana is the first among 12 African countries to launch the campaign.

He noted that the initiative would increase opportunities for women, girls, and families to contribute to the country’s productive capacity.

Beyond the one billion dollars in new funding needed, the campaign targets non-traditional partners, including those in arts, fashion, and sports, such as footballers.

“This campaign is coming at a significant time whereby there have been shifts in development assistance globally, most especially affecting health in our countries in Africa, and the Sexual and Reproductive Health space is well affected,” he said.

Mr. Nuhu urged the government, donors, and partners to ensure that momentum and progress in family planning are maintained.

“Family planning should be a normal conversation, not something we do behind closed doors or in secret so that it could be part and parcel of our way of life and reap the benefits,” he added.

Dr Kennedy T. C. Brightson, Director of the Family Health Division, emphasised that family planning is a shared responsibility, calling for collective action to boost national productivity.

FP2030, formerly Family Planning 2020, is a core convening partner on the High Impact Practices for Family Planning.

Its vision is guided by four principles: voluntary, person-centred, rights-based approaches with equity at the core; empowering women and girls while engaging men, boys, and communities.

It aims to build intentional and equitable partnerships with adolescents, youth, and marginalised populations to meet their needs, including for accurate and disaggregated data collection and use, with country-led global partnerships promoting shared learning and accountability.

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