Teenage pregnancy cases reduced in East Akim District

Koforidua, Aug. 19, GNA- Teenage pregnancy cases have reduced in the East Akim District of the Eastern Region over the last two years as compared to other districts where the Africa Youth Alliance (AYA) had been taking statistics and campaigning against pregnancy.

The statistics indicated that, teenage pregnancy cases reduced from 1,379 in 2002 to 323 in 2004 in the district showing an achievement in the activities of the AYA.

The Regional Director of the National Population Council, Mr Kofi Abinah, said this at a workshop organized for the population advisory committee on Wednesday at Koforidua.

The AYA is a programme directed at the youth in Ghana and aims at reducing incidence of teenage pregnancies, spread of the HIV/AIDS and other Sexually-Transmitted Infections (STI's) in five regions in the country.

The regions are Ashanti, Central, Western, Eastern and the Greater Accra. In the Eastern Region, AYA had been operating in three districts namely East Akim, Akuapem North and Kwahu South.

Mr Abinah said despite the presence of AYA, teenage pregnancy was rather increasing in the Kwahu South District at a higher rate, while the Akuapem North District, which relatively had low incidents had neither increased nor decreased.

He, therefore, called on stakeholders to actively tackle the problem and ensure that adolescents adopt a positive attitude to life.