By Samuel Akumatey, GNA
Ho, May 24, GNA - Madam Joan Eleeza, a Volta Regional Public Health Nurse, is calling for support from individuals and traditional authorities for "space" for adolescent health services.
She said the family planning units of health facilities were currently being used as adolescent reproductive health centres, with lack of privacy, discouraging most youths from accessing reproductive health care services.
Madam Eleeza said this when she presented a review of adolescent health performance in the Volta and Oti Regions at a meeting of regional Adolescent Health and Development (ADHD) resource teams and stakeholders in Ho.
"Space is the ultimate problem now in the Regions" she said, and added that the handicap left gaps in adolescent formation that could be filled by peers with the wrong information, and influences.
Madam Eleeza noted that there persisted a “high” teenage pregnancy rate in the regions- 14 per cent, and said more efforts must be invested into bringing the rate down to the national target of ten.
She however said the Regions were “moderately enthused” with efforts at addressing the adolescent health challenges, adding that the development of programmes were slow and must be quickened.
Madam Eleeza said there was also a low uptake of adolescent health issues in the Regions, whiles funding for adolescent health related activities was so limited, and must be considered by the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as priorities.
She called on stakeholders including community members, parents and teachers to own the adolescent health clubs, and help scale up adolescent health services in health facilities.
Madam Eleeza also stressed on the need to provide teaching and learning materials, as well as other forms of motivation for members of the clubs.
She said success stories of the ADHD interventions included the “great” transformation in the lives of girls, and the enactment of bylaws by local assemblies and traditional authorities to help curb the menace of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among others.
Madam Eleeza further acknowledged the support of Non-Governmental Organisations for ADHD activities, and prayed that their services were extended to all districts.
Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, Deputy Volta Regional Director, Public Health, who chaired the meeting, said adolescents must be placed on good pedestals as long as sexual and reproductive health was concerned, and asked ADHD champions to push forward the agenda.
He said champions “must stay focused and be active on the campaign”, and also called on local assemblies to help mobilise resource for adolescent activities in the districts.
The meeting was organised by the Ghana Health Service with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and was being monitored by the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC).
It forms part of UNFPA and the Government of Ghana’s 2018 to 2022 Country Programme Seven (CP7), which is benefitting six districts in the Volta and Oti Regions.
The programme has the Ghana Health Service, Security Services, and Gender Ministry as sub implementing partners.
Ms Victoria Fato, Regional focal person for the VRCC and UNFPA, said it focused on goals three and five of the Sustainable Development Goals to guarantee universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, end maternal deaths, and also address unmet needs of family planning.
She said CP7 also aimed at ending gender-based violence, child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and safeguard the future of the youth.
GNA
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