Be accommodating to teenage girls who desire family planning – Midwife advises health workers

A midwife at the Nyanshegu Community-Based Health Planning and Services(CHPS) compound, Mrs. Samiratu Mohammed, has entreated health workers to be accommodating to clients, especially teenage girls who visit their facilities for family planning.

According to her, good inter-personal relationship between clients and health personnel creates a friendly environment for clients to discuss confidently their reproductive health issues with professionals without fear.

“The decisions that young people make everyday, including decisions about sex and reproductive health, have an impact on their own lives. But collectively, their decisions will also influence global health, population, and development,” she noted. “Young people often cannot make informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health with many lacking access to education and information.”

Madam Mohammed who was speaking to Zaa News advised teenage girls who wish to use contraceptives to visit the nearest health center for assistance regarding their reproductive health.

The health facility, she noted, is a friend to every individual, hence, the need for them to always visit the facility for the good of their health.  In Ghana, knowledge of Family Planning is universal and awareness is high among both sexes, with injectables, pills and male condom being the most widely known and used methods.

Madam Mohammed therefore, wants parents to guide their teenage daughters who wish to use contraceptives. She also called for responsible parenting at homes to reduce the use of contraceptives among young girls in the region. She requested that parents educate their girls on their sexual rights and health.

By: LILIAN D. WALTER