Marie Stopes International Ghana (MSIG), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated assorted items to the Northern Regional Health Directorate to improve adolescent and sexual reproductive health services in the region.
The items presented to 13 adolescent and youth health facilities, dubbed “No Yawa”, are to be used to upgrade those centres to make them more friendly and attractive to the youth.
The “No Yawa” project of MSIG seeks to bring appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and knowledge to young people between the ages of 15 and 24 to help improve on their sexual health.
Items
The items included weighing scales, sterilising drums, emergency kits, sterilisers, television, ludu, draughts and BP apparatus. The rest were implant removal kits, DVD player, viewing lamps, buckets, ceiling fans and trolleys, all valued at GH¢177,000.
The beneficiary areas include the Tamale metropolis, Central, West and East Gonja, Sagnarigu and the Savelugu/Nanton districts. Others are Nanumba North, East Mamprusi and the Gushegu districts.
Importance
According to the Northern Regional Manager of MSIG-Tamale, Patricia Antwi-Boasiako, the items are aimed at improving access to family planning and other reproductive health services in the region.
She explained that as part of her organisation’s strategy, they were using modern management and marketing techniques to provide family planning, reproductive and sexual health care and allied services for the people.
“MSIG’s goal is to meet the needs of underserved Ghanaians and improve access to family planning and other reproductive health services,” the manager indicated.
She further stated that their support formed part of a collective effort aimed at achieving millennium development goals (MDGs) four and five (reducing maternal mortality) in the country as set out by the United Nations.
Appreciation
The acting Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Jacob Mahama, who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to the management of MSIG for their support for the sector.
