A recent report by the Ghana Health Service has revealed a disturbing trend in the Upper Manya Krobo district, where teenage pregnancy rates continue to rise alarmingly. The district has consistently ranked among the top districts in Ghana and the Eastern Region in terms of teenage pregnancy prevalence.
According to the report, the district recorded a prevalence rate of 19.3% in 2021, placing it first in Ghana and the Eastern Region. While there was a slight decrease in 2022, with a prevalence rate of 18.2%, the district still ranked fifth in Ghana and second in the Eastern Region. Last year, the prevalence rate dropped to 16.6%, but the district still ranked 11th in Ghana and third in the Eastern Region. The first quarter of 2024 saw a slight increase, with a prevalence rate of 17.8%, placing the district third in Ghana and second in the Eastern Region.
The District Health Directorate has identified several factors contributing to this trend, including adolescent girls engaging in transactional sex with older men for financial support, high poverty rates, poor parental support, and the influence of Western lifestyles.
District Chief Executive Joe Sam expressed deep concern over the situation, stating, “This current situation, indeed, is quite alarming and most disturbing and therefore requires the effort of all of us to help address the issue.” He emphasized the need for a collective effort to address the issue.
In response, the District Health Service, in collaboration with JOICFP, has intensified outreach programs to promote access to sexual and reproductive health services targeted at the youth. The Assembly has also allocated office accommodation to support the project.
The Upper Manya Krobo District is among the eleven districts and municipalities in the Eastern Region selected to benefit from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 8th Country Program, aimed at reducing child marriage, gender-based violence, and maternal deaths in the region.
Faisal Bawa, Program Analyst for UNFPA’s Gender-Based Violence Unit, noted that child marriage significantly contributes to adolescent pregnancies, with over 100,000 cases reported annually in Ghana. He urged key stakeholders, including Social Welfare, the Department of Gender, and the Ghana Health Service, to collaborate with UNFPA to accelerate actions addressing these issues.
