Navrongo, May 10, GNA - The Navrongo Health Research Centre in the Upper East Region has adopted strategies and interventions towards the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and its harmful effects on women in the Kassena Nankana District.
These include durbars, school health programmes, drama, video shows and discussions.
Dr Patricia Akweongo of the centre said this at a one-day workshop on FGM dissemination under the theme "Together we can stop FGM" for chiefs, community leaders and Ministry of Health personnel at Navrongo. Dr Akweongo said following a survey conducted in the district in 1995 on the prevalence of the traditional practice of FGM, it came to the notice of the centre that 77 per cent of women within the reproductive age had undergone FGM.
She said communities that practiced FGM were identified and assisted with micro-credit to empower women to take up ventures and this has reduced the practise considerably.
Dr Abraham Hodgson, the Director of the research centre, said the Ghana Health Service had mandated the centre to research into health problems facing the people of northern Ghana and to design policy decisions to improve health.
Therefore, in pursuance of this mandate, the centre designed a five-year intervention into FGM in Kassena Nankana and solicited the help of the people to carry out the study.
Dr Hodgson said apart from FGM, the centre is involved in malaria, cerebro-spinal meningitis, diarrhoeal diseases and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Research is being conducted into HIV counselling and testing and the National Health Insurance Scheme. Mr George Danyare, the acting District Chief Executive for Kassena Nankana, praised the centre for its work in the district.
Navrongo, May 10, GNA - The Navrongo Health Research Centre in the Upper East Region has adopted strategies and interventions towards the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and its harmful effects on women in the Kassena Nankana District.
These include durbars, school health programmes, drama, video shows and discussions.
Dr Patricia Akweongo of the centre said this at a one-day workshop on FGM dissemination under the theme "Together we can stop FGM" for chiefs, community leaders and Ministry of Health personnel at Navrongo. Dr Akweongo said following a survey conducted in the district in 1995 on the prevalence of the traditional practice of FGM, it came to the notice of the centre that 77 per cent of women within the reproductive age had undergone FGM.
She said communities that practiced FGM were identified and assisted with micro-credit to empower women to take up ventures and this has reduced the practise considerably.
Dr Abraham Hodgson, the Director of the research centre, said the Ghana Health Service had mandated the centre to research into health problems facing the people of northern Ghana and to design policy decisions to improve health.
Therefore, in pursuance of this mandate, the centre designed a five-year intervention into FGM in Kassena Nankana and solicited the help of the people to carry out the study.
Dr Hodgson said apart from FGM, the centre is involved in malaria, cerebro-spinal meningitis, diarrhoeal diseases and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Research is being conducted into HIV counselling and testing and the National Health Insurance Scheme. Mr George Danyare, the acting District Chief Executive for Kassena Nankana, praised the centre for its work in the district.
