750, 000 adolescence indulge in unsafe abortions yearly

Statistics from the Ghana Health Service revealed that in 2013 a total of 750,000 teenagers in the country indulged in unsafe abortion practices. This phenomenon has been blamed on the lack of information to young people with regard to their reproductive health and rights. In view of this, Savana Signatures (SAVSIGN) in collaboration with TEXT TO CHANGE, a Dutch based organization, has launched the Sexual Health Education Plus (SHE+), a project designed to educate young people and provide information on their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. The project will focus on providing opportunities to young people in the Northern and Volta Regions of Ghana to have easy access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights information and also have direct contact with health professionals on their sexual and reproductive health needs. In his address the project officer of savanna signatures Fredrick Nuuri-teg indicated that very few out of school youth have access to reproductive  health information necessary to guide them make well informed choices in life on sexual related issues hence the need for the implementation of the SHE+ project. He added that the SHE+ project forms part of the savanna signatures Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right strategy aimed at contributing to augment the government of Ghana’s drive to achieving the MDG5 which talks about universal access to reproductive health by 2015. Mad. Francisca Awaa a principal midwifery Officer at the Tamale Teaching Hospital made a passionate appeal to parents and guardian to put aside culture and educate their wards on their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights to avert any likelihood of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Source:Shawana Yussif