An increasing number of teenage pregnancies and HIV cases have been reported in recent years, which has alarmed the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), a division of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).
The NGO claims that a lack of knowledge and restricted access to family planning options is to blame for the rise in HIV and adolescent pregnancies.
Teenage pregnancy had been on the decline for a number of years, but in recent years it has either halted or increased, according to Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, the global leader of IPPF, who was speaking to the media.
The first thing he said was that they talked about a lack of knowledge and how they don’t really know how to protect themselves until it’s too late.
Dr. Bermejo emphasized the need of providing sexually active people with easier access to contraceptives and the urgency of ensuring protection before it’s too late.
He went on to discuss the potential advantages of antiretrovirals and acknowledged that, despite possible opposition, they might be very important in lowering the number of HIV and teenage pregnancy cases.
“I recall learning about the invention of the contraceptive pill.” Many males were actually asking why the health system was paying for these ladies to take medications in order to be promiscuous. No, we shouldn’t provide everybody access to medications.
“We all have an interest in preventing unintended pregnancies for them, but it was the 1960s and the battle to have that communicated to them.
He stated, “I still believe that is necessary, especially in light of the things I keep hearing about why we are giving HIV prevention pills to people who refuse to use condoms or take precautions for their own health.”
