Agona West Tops Teenage Pregnancy Cases in Central Region

The Agona West Municipality recorded a total of 762 cases of teenage pregnancy cases mostly school girls age between 10 and 15 years in 2017 as against 678 cases in 2016.

This came to light at the annual performance review of the Health Management Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at Agona Swedru.

Ms Christian Intsiful, Agona West Reproductive and Child Health Care Officer, who made this known at the annual performance review meeting, said the situation occurred due to various factors which needed attention.

She said the situation needed a holistic approach as it has prevented many young girls from continuing their education.

The report which came from the Central Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service said the figure recorded in Agona West has topped all districts teenage pregnancy cases in the region.

The Reproductive and Child Health Care Officer said investigations conducted by the Health Directorate to ascertain the causes revealed that men who impregnated these girls were aged between 10 and 19 years.

And many of them had Junior and Senior High School education while others had no education at all.

Ms Intsiful said school clubs, forums, durbars and other sensitization programes have been organized in the various communities highlighting the need to avoid and the dangers of pre- marital sex.

She said events like festival celebrations, funerals grounds and other social gatherings were contributory factors to the increasing number of teenage pregnancy cases in the Municipality.

She also called on the School Management Committees, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and other stakeholders to intervene and help halt the trend.

Ms Intsiful called on the chiefs and opinion leaders in the various communities in the Agona West to join the effort and assist health officers to succeed in educating young girls to prioritize their education.

Ms Intsiful urged the Swedruman Council of Chiefs, Nyakrom Traditional Area and Agona West Municipal Assembly to come out with strict bye-laws that could prevent such children and youth from staying outside after 2000 hrs in the evening.

Nana Esieni, Nifahene of Agona Swedru, assured the health directorate that Swedruman Council of Chiefs is ever prepared to promulgate relevant laws that will halt the concern.

He reiterated the called on the Agona West Municipal Assembly to expedite action about the gazette of bye-laws to ensure that the situation change.

Source: GNA