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Make family planning centres, antenatal clinics adolescent friendly
Stigmatisation and judgmental attitudes from some health workers have been identified as some of the factors that discourages young people from accessing care.
The interim Country Director of Right to Play Ghana, Mr Evans Sinkari, has, therefore, urged family planning centres to be more welcoming and inclusive to adolescents seeking reproductive health services.
“Young people are among the most vulnerable when it comes to reproductive health, yet they face the greatest barriers to accessing services,” he said.
In an interview with The Spectator, Mr Sinkari explained that adolescents, aged 10 to 19, were at risk of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections due to limited access to information and services.
He stated that many were sexually active, whether by choice, coercion, or early marriage—yet often lacked adequate knowledge of, or access to contraception.
He emphasised that health workers’ judgmental attitudes, coupled with lack of privacy and confidentiality, often shame adolescents, deterring them from seeking contraceptives.
The fear that parents or community members may discover their choices further discourages them, he noted, and added that unfriendly environments at health facilities largely designed for adults, created feelings of intimidation, while financial and social barriers limit adolescents’ decision-making power and ability to pay for care.
According to Mr Sinkari, accessible and youth-friendly family planning centres would help reduce adolescent pregnancies and associated risks.
Contraceptive access, he stressed, prevents unsafe abortions, a leading cause of maternal mortality among adolescents.
He noted that promoting health and education would also reduce unintended pregnancies, allowing young people to remain in school and realise their potential.
On adolescent pregnancy, he noted that some health workers stigmatised young mothers when they sought antenatal care.
He emphasised the need for compassion, dignity, and professionalism in treating adolescent pregnant girls, arguing that stigmatisation undermined their rights and Ghana’s public health goals.
“It is not right for health workers in Ghana or anywhere to undermine adolescent girls,” he indicated, warning that such attitudes discouraged antenatal visits, skilled delivery, and postnatal care.
Some young mothers, fearing mistreatment, turn to unsafe abortions or unqualified traditional attendants, putting their lives at risk.
“These psychological harms lead to poor maternal and child outcomes, including preterm births, low birth weight, neonatal complications, and reduced uptake of postnatal services such as child immunisation and nutrition,” he explained.
Additionally, he cautioned that negative attitudes by health professionals perpetuate a cycle of harm, discouraging care-seeking, worsening health outcomes, increasing stigma, and undermining Ghana’s health and development goals.
Citing the 1992 Constitution and international agreements ratified by Ghana, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, he stressed that all adolescents have the right to quality, non-discriminatory healthcare.
Moreover, Mr Sinkari called for full implementation of Ghana’s Adolescent Health Services Policy and the National Reproductive Health Services Policy, which emphasise creating safe, supportive, and youth-friendly health services.
He said adolescent reproductive health must be a national priority, urging the establishment of more adolescent-friendly clinics across the country to provide education, reduce stigma, and help Ghana achieve SDG 3 on health and SDG 5 on gender equality.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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The 24 Hour Economy Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hunan Architectural Design Institute Group to support the planning of the Volta Economic Corridor.
The agreement aims to guide how land within the corridor will be used, design key infrastructure, and develop systems that will support large scale production.
The partnership will focus on detailed planning to make the area ready for investment and smooth business operations.
The project will include the development of agroecological parks, industrial zones, and transport networks to connect production centres to markets.
According to the Authority, proper planning is critical to building strong economic systems and expanding production across the corridor.
It noted that the collaboration with the Chinese design firm will help lay a solid foundation for industrial growth and long term development within the Volta Economic Corridor.
By: Jacob Aggrey
President of the Ghana Bar Association, Efua Ghartey, has called on judges and lawyers to carry out their duties with humility, fairness, and a strong sense of responsibility.
She made the appeal during the Supreme Court at 150 celebration held at the University of Ghana, under the theme “Honouring the past, celebrating the present and defining the future.”
Addressing participants, she noted that those in the legal profession occupy positions of great power and influence, and must therefore remain humble in the discharge of their duties.
She urged both the bench and the bar to deliver justice without fear or ill will, stressing the need for fairness in handling cases.
Reflecting on the significance of the celebration, she explained that the year 1876 marks not only the establishment of the Supreme Court but also the beginning of formally trained lawyers in the Gold Coast.
The GBA President questioned what Ghana would be without the rule of law, which is upheld by judges and lawyers, adding that the country could descend into a system where only the strongest survive if justice is not properly administered.
She further encouraged legal practitioners to reflect on their responsibilities and remain committed to upholding the rule of law for the benefit of all citizens.
By: Jacob Aggrey
