Government urged to prioritise adolescent health

Accra, May 26, GNA - The well-being of young people, which is the key to sustained development and adolescent health, should be seen as a top priority for governments, Nana Amba Eyiabah, Krontihemaa of the Oguaa State, said on Friday.

She said the time of exposure of adolescents in Ghana was a crucial period to protect them from the consequences of risky sexual behaviour that would result in unintended pregnancies leading to unsafe abortion, maternal and child mortality.

Nana Eyiabah who said this at the opening of the 39th Annual General Meeting of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) said the neglect of these adolescents for any nation would be very expensive.

The two-day meeting under theme: "Keeping the Promise of Providing Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health Services through donor support and sustainability initiatives" would be attended by all stakeholders in Adolescent Sexually Reproductive Health (ASRH). She said a recent research work revealed that adolescents were very sexually active to the extent that 29 per cent of females and 15 per cent of males of 15-19 years had ever had sex.

Among those who have had sex, four in 10 females and six in 10 males aged 12-24 have had more than one sexual partner. "Sexual coercion is common and one out of every four sexually active young women said they have ever been forced against their will to have sexual intercourse whilst 12 per cent of women and two per cent of men were forced into their first sexual experience," she added. Nana Eyiabah said PPAG was faced with dwindling donor support and urged developing partners to increase their support for ASRH issues. Dr Frances Owusu-Daaku, President of PPAG, said the association was able to protect over 88,000 women from getting pregnant and nearly 4,000 people from unwanted pregnancies through the provision of Emergency Contraception.

She said total clients who visited PPAG facilities for pre-test HIV counselling were 2,999 out of which 356 took the test. "The successful life stories of young people whose lives have been changed is another fruit of our labour," she said. Awards were presented donor institutions and individuals that have supported the activities and projects of PPAG.