Statistics available at the Sunyani Regional Hospital show that in the first half of 2012, 50 teenage pregnancies, 65 illegal abortions out of which one died were recorded at the hospital.
A senior Nursing Officer, at the Sunyani Regional Hospital, Madam Rita Ansong in an interview withXYZ News said the situation is alarming but her outfit has mapped out strategies to reduce the trend.
“We have embarked on a massive education by visiting schools and also using the various radio stations in Sunyani to educate parents and teenage girls on the negative effect of teenage pregnancy and illegal abortions,” Madam Ansong revealed.
She is also advocating for the introduction of sexually active teenage girls to use family planning methods in other to reduce teenage pregnancies in the Municipality and the country as a whole.
“Some people do not like family planning but I believe it’s the best because it will prevent sexually active teenage girls from becoming pregnant and then trying to get rid of the pregnancy using cruel means which could affect their uterus and wombs in the future and at times resulting in death,” Madam Ansong advised.
Miss. Theresa Ayitey the Public Health Co-coordinator of Global Media Foundation, an NGO based in the Brong Ahafo Region has also identified parent’s inability to educate their children on sex as one of the causes of high teenage pregnancy and illegal abortions in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Miss Ayitey called on parents to be bold enough to educative teenage girls and children on sex and the negative effect of illegal abortions.
