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More Domestic Funding For Family Planning

Health Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu
DEC 14, 2018 LISTEN
Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu

Government has projected a sharp rise in domestic funding for the purchase of family planning (FP) commodities starting this year.

Government currently purchases one quarter of family planning commodities but has stated its commitment to increase the figure to one third of all family planning commodities in the country.

This follows Ghana's commitments to the FP2020 Declaration that seeks to add 120m additional contraceptive users by 2020.

The Deputy Minister of Health, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu, who gave the assurance at the country's FP2020 tracking event themed: 'Countdown To 2020: Ghana's Journey', revealed that government has already “declared the health commodities budget line which includes reproductive health and family planning commodities.”

Mr. Aboagye Gyedu reiterated government's commitment to expand the inclusion of FP services and supplies on the NHIS benefit package, which would make family planning services free of charge at all public sector health facilities and private sector facilities accredited by the NHIS.

He explained that the move by government to increase domestic funding would propel the country toward meeting their FP2020 target come 2020.

The Head of Family Health Division at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, mentioned that government spent a total of $3 million in the procurement of family planning commodities for the country and was hopeful the figure would increase in the coming year.

Presenting the country's family planning status, Dr. Aboagye said the service has expanded the contraceptive method choices, especially the long-lasting and permanent methods, IUD as well as the introduction of sayana press and self-injection on pilot basis.

“We also intensified the FP specific behaviour change communication in local languages under the 'Good Life Live It Well' brand to improve access to contraceptives to leave no one behind. Looking at our projections we are on course and maybe we may hit the bar line in 2020, currently our total fertility rate has reduced from 6.4 per cent in 1089 to 3.9 per cent in 2017,” he disclosed.

Lower contraceptive uptake in urban areas as compared to rural and stagnation to family planning access to adolescents, he pointed out, are some of their challenges.

“We are not taking advantage of post-partum and post abortion family planning services, that is an area we need to focus on as well especially when we have almost 80 per cent skilled delivery and almost 98 per cent post natal attendance,” he added.

Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Niyi Ojualape, stated that the UN Agency purchases about 40 per cent of FP commodities that are used in the country, calling for the need to heighten advocacy for domestic funding for FP goods and services.

He said the UNFPA would continue to collaborate with the sector players to build and increase access to FP services, especially for the youth.

---Daily Guide

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