A rising tide of teenage pregnancies in Ghana’s Bono Region has put public health officials on high alert. Between 2021 and 2024, the region recorded a staggering 14,877 cases involving girls mostly under 19. Even more worrying, 1,188 abortion cases were documented within the same period.
These revelations came to light during a stakeholders’ meeting in Sunyani, held as part of activities marking African Vaccination Week and Child Health Promotion Week.
Speaking at the event, Rita Adjoa Ansong, Deputy Director of Nursing Services in charge of Public Health, described the situation as deeply troubling and called for urgent, collective intervention.
According to her, many of the pregnancies could have been prevented if young girls had access to proper family planning education and services.
She noted that beyond the numbers lies a bigger issue—young girls being robbed of their futures. “Family planning gives girls the power to make informed decisions about their bodies and continue their education,” she stressed.
Miss Ansong pointed to cultural misconceptions, limited community support, and outdated beliefs as some of the roadblocks deterring young women from embracing contraceptive methods. Despite these barriers, she noted some progress.
In 2024, the region’s family planning service coverage reached 39.58%, a slight improvement from 36.45% in the previous year.
This modest gain, she explained, was made possible through partnerships with organisations like Marie Stopes, DKT, and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, which provided free contraceptives and awareness support.
However, she made it clear that these improvements are not enough. The rise in teenage pregnancies, coupled with abortion figures—388 in 2021, 351 in 2022, 217 in 2023, and 282 in 2024—points to a bigger social and health crisis.
Miss Ansong ended her address by urging stakeholders, especially community leaders and the media, to help dismantle myths surrounding family planning and amplify education efforts across the region.
