Rita Adjoa Ansong, Deputy Director of Nursing Services (Public Health) at the Bono Regional Directorate of Health, reported 14,877 teenage pregnancies between 2021 and 2024.
She also reported that the region recorded 1,188 abortions over the same period, including girls aged 15 to 19.
Miss Ansong stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Sunyani as part of activities commemorating African Vaccination Week (AVW) and Child Health Promotion Week (CHPW) hosted by the Bono Regional Directorate of Health.
In 2021, there were 3,999 pregnancies and 388 abortions, followed by 4,058 pregnancies and 351 abortions in 2022, 3,492 pregnancies and 217 abortions in 2023, and 3,328 pregnancies and 282 abortions in 2024.
Miss Ansong described the situation as disturbing and urged stakeholders to assist efforts to increase Family Planning (FP) coverage among sexually active teenage girls in the region in order to decrease teenage pregnancies.
She emphasised that FP empowers girls to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, allowing them to further their education.
Miss Ansong found misunderstandings and misconceptions, lack of community support, and outmoded cultural and religious views as major impediments to girls and women utilising various FP approaches.
She reported that regional FP service coverage in 2024 was 39.58 percent of the projected target group—women and girls of reproductive age—up from 36.45 percent in 2023.
The acceptance rate for 2024 rose by 0.08 percent from the previous year. She ascribed the modest improvement to partner engagement, regular supply of FP consumables, and re-registration of LARC customers.
Miss Ansong also stated that free supplies provided by groups such as Marie Stopes, DKT, and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) played a vital role in increasing acceptance rates.
She emphasised that FP enables women and girls to make more informed decisions about their futures, resulting in healthier pregnancies and fewer maternal deaths. She urged stakeholders and the media to assist raise awareness and overcome existing hurdles.
Earlier, Dr. Prince Quarshie, Deputy Director of Public Health at the Bono Regional Directorate of Health, stated that the meeting’s goal was to raise awareness among stakeholders and the general public about the importance of immunisation and the country’s comprehensive child health services.
He further stated that the event helped to increase collaboration among important stakeholders such as government agencies, development partners, community leaders, health experts, and the media.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched African Vaccination Week (AVW) in 2010, which is held annually during the last week of April (24th–30th) to promote immunisation as a lifesaving measure.
Dr. Quarshie added that the Child Health Promotion Week (CHPW), established by the Ministry of Health in 2004, is observed from May 5 to May 9 each year and focusses on nutrition, immunisation, and preventive care for children under five.