By Kekeli K. Blamey
Mafi Avedo (V/R), Sept. 26, GNA – More than 100 out-of-school young people at Mafi Avedo in the Central Tongu District have been sensitised on family planning, condom use and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
The engagement, organised by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), formed part of UNFPA Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme, funded by Global Affairs Canada, and sought to improve young people’s access to accurate reproductive health information and appropriate services.
Held under the “NextGen Forum with Community Youth-Led Platform activity, the programme brought together apprentices and other out-of-school youth for education and discussions on sexual and reproductive health.
Mr Christopher Makam, the PPAG’s Focal Person for UNFPA Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme in the Volta Region, said the initiative was designed to bridge gaps in access to reproductive health information and services among young people outside the formal education system.
He said many adolescents engaged in apprenticeship and vocational activities, including hairdressing and dressmaking, required targeted interventions to equip them with reliable information to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
Mr Makam said taking the engagement into communities was important because some young people might be reluctant to seek reproductive health information and services through conventional channels.
“Reproductive health is part of their health and is their right,” he said, encouraging the adolescents to seek professional information, counselling, and services whenever necessary.
He said PPAG is committed to providing a safe space for young people to fulfill their potential.
Mr Makam observed that reproductive health issues were sometimes discussed in secrecy within communities, leading some young people to conceal infections, self-medicate, or rely on unqualified sources for advice.
He therefore urged the participants to seek timely medical attention when they experienced symptoms of STIs and to make informed choices regarding their reproductive health.
Mr Mathew Ayamba, the Central Tongu District Health Director, cautioned the participants against behaviours that could expose them to STIs and unintended pregnancies, stressing the importance of responsible sexual choices and the use of appropriate preventive measures.
He urged the young people to seek professional counseling on family planning rather than relying on misinformation or advice from peers, noting that access to accurate information was essential to making responsible reproductive health decisions.
Mr Ayamba also advised the adolescents to be mindful of peer pressure and situations that could lead to risky sexual behaviour, reminding them that an unintended pregnancy or untreated STI could have serious implications for their education, relationships and future aspirations.
He expressed gratitude to PPAG for the education and encouraged the participants to put the knowledge gained into practice. He cautioned them not to take issues of teenage pregnancy, STIs and family planning lightly, urging them to seek early medical attention whenever they suspected an infection and to make informed decisions to protect their health and future.
Madam Grace Morkli, a midwife with the Ghana Health Service and facilitator, said continuous reproductive health education was critical to reducing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and STIs among adolescents.
She said the engagement had improved participants’ understanding of STI symptoms and the importance of early testing and treatment.
Madam Morkli called for sustained and expanded community-based reproductive health education to ensure that more adolescents, particularly those outside the formal education system, had access to accurate information and youth-friendly services.
The facilitators also educated participants on available contraceptive methods, possible side effects, and the importance of professional counseling in choosing appropriate methods.
They encouraged the young people to avoid unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions and to seek professional support when making decisions concerning their sexual and reproductive health.
Participants expressed appreciation to UNFPA and PPAG for the engagement and called for more regular community-based programmes and improved access to youth-friendly reproductive health services.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah