Ghana – 6,000 Adolescents In Volta Region Pregnant – Stakeholders Urged To Address Trend

20-May-2023

According to Ghana Statistical Service data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census, about 79,733 girls in Ghana aged 12 to 17 have been in a union, either married or living together with a man. Out of this number, 25,999 are girls of junior high school-going age (12 to 14 years).

In the Volta Region, it states that one out of four girls are married or are in a union before 18 years. According to the GHS District Health Information Management System (DHIMS), over 6,000 girls got pregnant between 2020 and 2021 alone.

Continued: https://www.peacefmonline.com/pages/local/news/202305/487762.php


Ghana – Students opt for unsafe abortions despite legal services

Francis Kokutse 
17 May 2023

Despite the liberal nature of Ghana’s abortion laws, the prevalence of unsafe abortion is still high among female undergraduates, a group of researchers at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Hohoe has said.

The researchers said most undergraduate students resort to unsafe termination of pregnancy whenever they get pregnant, even more than once. The researchers pointed out that “the high prevalence of unsafe abortion among university undergraduates is particularly troubling, as it may also imply that more of the students engage in unprotected and unsafe sex”.

Continued: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20230514174120500


Ghana – Make family planning attractive to youth to curb unsafe abortions – PPAG

3 April 2023

The Plan Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) has called on authorities to present family planning attractively to the youth to help curb unsafe abortions resulting to maternal mortalities in the country.

It said unsafe abortions could be resolved if the youth were abreast with modern family planning method and did not resort to unskilled persons or used dangerous methods that could lead to complications including death.

Continued: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Make-family-planning-attractive-to-youth-to-curb-unsafe-abortions-PPAG-1742927


Unsafe abortions, major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality in Ghana – Lecturer

On Mar 14, 2023

Unsafe induced abortions are a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality in Ghana which raises serious public health concerns, Dr Susan Ama Amuasi, a Lecturer at the Central University, has observed. 

She said with the growing number of young populations globally and an ever-changing sociocultural environment and circumstances, there was a tendency for unwanted pregnancies and abortions. 

Continued: https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2023/03/14/unsafe-abortions-major-contributor-to-maternal-morbidity-and-mortality-in-ghana-lecturer/


Ghana: Oti Region Health Directorate Expresses Concern Over Unsafe Abortion

15 DECEMBER 2022
By Samuel Agbewode And Nkonya-Ahenkro, Ghanaian Times (Accra)

The Oti Regional Health Directorate (ORHD), has expressed concern about the increasing number of unsafe abortion cases in the region, and called for cooperation from stakeholders to prevent the occurrence.

According to personnel of the directorate, About 1,000 young women were identified to practice unsafe abortions in 2021, Senior Midwifery Officer (SMO) of the Oti Regional Health Directorate, Ms Bernice Tendrago has revealed.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202212160177.html


Ghana – Religious, societal beliefs on contraceptives causing unsafe abortion – NPC

By Richard Kofi Boahen
Nov 8, 2022

Dr. Davis Yeboah Aboagye, the Bono Regional Officer of the National Population Council (NPC) says religious and certain socio-cultural beliefs about the use of contraceptive are contributing to the ever-increasing cases of unsafe abortion in the country.

He has therefore made a passionate appeal to the National Health Insurance Authority to include family planning services on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to motivate and increase the use of contraceptives among married as well as sexually active adults as a way of controlling population growth, spacing of children and reducing unwanted pregnancies.

Continued: https://www.modernghana.com/news/1193880/religious-societal-beliefs-on-contraceptives-caus.html


Ghana – Northern Region records reduction in maternal mortality

Date: Aug - 06 – 2022
BY: Mohammed Fugu

The Northern Region has recorded a reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity cases within the past two years. The region recorded 73 maternal deaths in 2020, the figure decreased to 70 in 2021, while 34 cases have so far been registered in the fi rst half of 2022. The figure is projected to reduce by the close of the year.

An Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Hawa Malechi, who said this added that although there had been a marginal reduction in mortality, much needed to be done to significantly reduce the figures.

Continued: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/nothern-region-records-reduction-in-maternal-mortality.html


Bono health directorate launches campaign to stop maternal deaths

Date: Aug - 01 - 2022
Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

The Bono Regional Health Directorate last Thursday launched a campaign to stop the rise in maternal mortality in the region. Statistics available indicate that whereas the region recorded 22 maternal deaths in 2019, the figure increased to 26 in 2020.

In 2021, the figure jumped further to 28, while 15 maternal deaths have already been recorded this year.  It is as a result of this that the regional health directorate, in
collaboration with the Family Health Division and the Ghana Health Service
(GHS), launched the campaign against maternal mortality on the theme:
"Stop Preventable Maternal Deaths and Disabilities".

Continued: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/bono-health-directorate-launches-campaign-to-stop-maternal-deaths.html


Ghana: Abortion Only Permissible Under Registered Medical Facility

20 JULY 2022
Ghanaian Times (Accra)
By Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi

Goaso — Abortion is permitted by law in Ghana provided it is carried out by registered medical practitioners in registered facilities, Comfort Korkor, the Ahafo Regional Public Health Nurse(PHN), has disclosed.

Mrs Korkor noted that the Ghana Abortion Law (GAL) under Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Law 102 of 1985, legalised abortion where pregnancy was as a result of rape and incest.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202207200496.html


49 maternal deaths recorded between January and May 2022 in the Eastern Region

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Forty-nine (49) institutional maternal deaths were recorded between January and May this year in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

The current rate paints a gloomy forecast of a sharp rise this year defeating gains made in a gradual reduction of the menace.  

Continued: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/49-maternal-deaths-recorded-between-January-and-May-2022-in-the-Eastern-Region-1566374