Sunyani (B/A), Jan. 23, GNA – The Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Health has advocated for the passage of a reproductive health law to promote basic health needs among the youth.
The Coalition noted that with the law in place, an authority would be setup to ensure the institutionalization of reproductive health issues in all sectors of development.
Mr Gabriel Gbiel Benarkuu, Executive Director of Mission of Hope International (MIHOSO) made the call at a press soiree, organised for media practitioners in Sunyani, by the NGO.
He said sexual reproductive health services should always be available in communities to enable teenagers to patronize it, for periodic medical reviews on their sexual health.
Because such centers are not readily available in communities, education on sex and other reproductive health has not gone down well with teenagers, he said.
Mr Benarkuu said this had resulted in many of adolescents contracting sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.
“When they even see symptoms of sexual infectious they feel shy to seek medical attention in public health facilities”, Mr. Benarkuu said.
Mrs. Grace Yeboah-Asuamah, a Public Health Nurse, said sexual reproductive health should be a subject in basic schools to enable the younger generation to preserve their virginity.
She noted that many adults, especially women, were infertile because they could not detect early enough and treat sexual infections they contracted in adolescent age.
The public health nurse said teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions were on the increase because the youth lacked adequate knowledge about sexual health issues.
She advised parents to encourage their girls to seek early family planning advice and also to teach them some basic sex education.
Mrs Yeboah-Asuamah said teenagers, who could not abstain from sexual intercourse should always be educated properly on the use of condoms to avoid contracting diseases.
Mr Kobina Afena-Sam, Regional Chairman of the Coalition said the body would embark on an advocacy campaign to promote sexual reproductive health services and rights in the region.
He expressed optimism that the media would have a better understanding on reproductive health issues and collaborate with the coalition to achieve the anticipated results.
GNA
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