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‘Educate children on sexual and reproductive health’
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Ms Kpan (second from right) with other speakers at the meeting
The officer in charge of girl-child education at the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Upper West Region, Ms. Janet Kpan, has appealed to parents to provide sexual and reproductive health education (SRHE) to their children to prevent them from seeking the knowledge from their friends and peers.
Many parents, she said, had left the SRHE to only health workers and other stakeholders, including unqualified individuals such as their children’s peers, who mostly shared very unwholesome information with their colleagues.
She could not fathom why parents found it difficult to discuss reproductive health issues with their wards and shied away from mentioning the names of private parts and certain basic issues such as menstruation in front of their wards.
Ms. Kpan said this at Wa during a stakeholders’ meeting on sexual and reproductive health organised by youth advocacy groups on “Informed Choices for Change” (IC4C) in the Upper West Region at the behest of Norsaac, a Tamale based non-governmental organisation.
“Parents gave birth to the child; what education are they giving them on their sexual health? Most parents find it very difficult to give such education to their wards, but the child needs to know that when she begins to grow breasts, it is a sign of maturity, which will be followed by menstruation, at which point sleeping with a man could make her pregnant,” she said.
He indicated that boys also needed to know that early sex could
make them premature fathers and also cause them to acquire sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/Is).
“Most of our children in school are sexually active, and we must come to terms with that fact so that we can prevent them from indulging in early sex with its implications,” she said.
Ms. Kpan explained that to help protect the girls, the GES was working with health professionals who had been trained in that regard to create adolescent corners in some of the senior high schools to provide SRHE services to the students.
“Sex education in schools is helping to enlighten the young ones on how to abstain from sex if they want to avoid STD/Is and how to use condoms if they cannot abstain, but GES preaches abstinence to avoid pregnancy and other issues,” she said.
She indicated that educating adolescents on reproductive health and socio-cultural responses would enable them to understand their biological makeup as well as that of the opposite sex, and this, according to her, would help them develop themselves and avoid questionable bahaviours.
“Adolescent reproductive health issues are multifaceted and necessitate collaboration of various stakeholders in health, education, social welfare, media, religion, as well as women’s and children’s groups, among others,” she explained.
This, she said, would enable the stakeholders to achieve improved responsible sexual and health behaviour among adolescents and also offer the young ones the opportunity to learn more about transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
