Ghana Health Service (GHS) directorate in the northern region has expressed worry about dwindling nature of family planning in the region for several years now. In the 2010 for instance, the coverage stood at 24 percent, came down to 21 percent and went down further to 19 percent.
The coverage declined to 15 percent in 2013 and the region is likely to record 19 percent for 2014 when data is completed.
Presenting the state of family planning in the region at a day’s seminar for journalists in Tamale, Northern Regional Health Promotion Officer, Patience Boahen said the picture is worrying and urged all stakeholders in health to intensify their efforts to reverse the trend.
The seminar which was organized by School of Public Health of the Kwame Nkrumah University and Technology (KNUST) brought together journalists from Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions and some stakeholders in health.
The major challenge identified by health authorities confronting family planning campaign is the prestige of raising more children.
Health staff attitude has also been identified as one of the challenges especially, towards adolescents who visit health facilities for healthcare services. To address this, the regional health directorate is establishing adolescent corners across health facilities while training nurses to handle their clients.
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