Adolescents Not Interested In Abstinence

By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Sept. 19, GNA - Adolescents Health Providers in the Tema Metropolis say that most young people are no longer interested in the abstinence message.

According to them, adolescents who have already had sex were not willing to abstain making the abstinence preaching non effective.

One of the providers said 'it looks like the abstinence preaching is not working as they prefer going for sex rather than abstaining. One of my clients who is about 16 years is carrying her second pregnancy even though we advised her to abstain after the first one'.

They revealed this on Wednesday during a day's Adolescent Training programme for the providers, patrons of adolescent school clubs, Social Welfare and Community Development, media and the Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service.

Some of them blamed the development on the availability of family planning services to the adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years as most girls within the age bracket were on family planning.

Others, however, believed that putting such adolescent girls on family planning rather would help save their lives as some of without it many would end up pregnant and either resort to criminal abortions or end up giving birth to children they could not cater for.

Chief Inspector Sabina Ama Blay, a representative from DOVVSU Tema Regional Command, said her outfit sometimes recommended to such girls who report to her outfit to access family planning services from the health centers after having a conversation with them.

Chief Inspector Blay observed that some of the girls who were actively engaging in sexual activities, got pregnant and report to DOVVSU when the men or boys responsible denied their involvement with them.

According to her, most girls in Tema Newtown for instance engaged in sex and deliver at tender ages adding 'if you are 15 in Newtown and not given birth, your friends will mock you'.

Madam Matilda Mahama, Tema Metropolitan Social Welfare and Community Development Officer, on her part, stated that her outfit also recommend family planning to their young clients who seek help on maintenance issues.

Mrs Gifty Francisca Ben-Aryee, National Programme Officer, Adolescent Health, Ghana Health Service, urged adolescent health providers not to force abstinence on adolescents who visit their corners.

Mrs Ben-Aryee said even though health officials had a dilemma on either following their religious beliefs condemning family planning or pursue their professional health ethics.

She encouraged them to listen to the adolescent, provide them with the needed information and help them to make informed decision instead of imposing their will on them.

Dr John Yabani, Tema Metropolitan Health Director, commended the adolescent health providers and the club matron for availing themselves for the young people as they were the future of the country.

Dr Yabani expressed joy that the club programme in the area was picking up noting that other regions visited Tema to learn from their experience.

GNA