[ 2017-05-22 ]

Teenage pregnancy declines in Ashanti
Kumasi, May 22, GNA – Teenage pregnancy is on a
downward trend in the Ashanti Region as the
various interventions and intense public education
campaign begin to show positive results.
        
A total of 18,441 adolescents got pregnant, last
year, compared with the year 2015 figure of 19,416
and the 20,395 reported in 2014.
       
Dr. Alexis Nang-Beifubah, the Regional Health
Director, who announced this, said despite the
progress, the situation was far from ideal and
asked that the momentum was sustained.He said more
work needed to be done to substantially reduce
cases of pregnancy among young people.
        
He was speaking at a day’s media orientation on
adolescent sexual reproductive health in Kumasi.
        
It was organized by the Regional Health
Directorate under the theme “Reducing teenage
pregnancy, a shared responsibility: the role of
the media”.
        
Dr. Nang-Beifubah highlighted the need to provide
young people with access to the right information
and youth friendly services at the health
facilities.This, he stated, was vital to aid them
to make appropriate choices and decisions.
        
“The adolescent stage is a complex one where
young people take on new roles and
responsibilities, where they become over-excited,
leading them to experiment with their new
independence.”

He said it was the time they required strong
support and engagement by everybody – parents,
the media, parents and the entire society to avoid
pitfalls.

Dr. Kwasi Yeboah-Awudzi, Deputy Regional Director,
Public Health, said the objective of the programme
was to encourage journalists to put a spotlight on
adolescent sexual reproductive health - to call
all stakeholders to action.

He mentioned that 33 teenage mothers died in the
region over the last three years and added that
the nation could not afford to continue to lose
its young people through the termination of
unwanted pregnancies.

Source - GNA

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