A significant decline in teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions is being reported in Ghana’s Upper East Region, thanks to targeted sensitization programs and a progressive education policy that supports young mothers.
According to Dora Kulariba, the Upper East Regional Adolescent Health Focal Person, teenage pregnancy rates in the region have dropped from 16 percent in 2019 to 11.5 percent by the end of 2024.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Kulariba credited this positive trend to consistent health education campaigns and the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) re-entry policy, which allows pregnant teenagers to return to school.
“Adolescence is everywhere, but I am glad to say that things are far better in the Upper East Region,” she noted. “We just completed our review of last year, and we are currently at around 11.5 percent.”
The re-entry policy and grassroots educational outreach appear to be helping reduce not only unplanned pregnancies but also the incidence of unsafe abortions.
According to Kulariba, fewer teenagers are showing up at health facilities with abortion-related complications, a sign that stigmas are easing and safer choices are being made.
Parents, Kulariba emphasized, play a crucial role in reinforcing positive behavior.
She urged them to maintain open lines of communication with their children about sensitive issues like relationships and sexuality.
“If you don’t instill your values in them, someone else will,” she warned.
Experts are encouraging informal, everyday conversations rather than one-time lectures.
Using personal experiences and maintaining a calm demeanor are key to helping teenagers feel safe enough to share their concerns and ask questions.
Kulariba also highlighted the importance of addressing peer pressure, advising that honest dialogue about abstinence, sexually transmitted infections, and safe sex practices must be ongoing—not a one-off discussion.
“We’ve been able to bring the numbers down, but we hope to reduce them even more,” she said, reaffirming the health service’s commitment to improving adolescent well-being across the region.
The Upper East Region’s approach is now being hailed as a model of how community-based efforts and compassionate policy can work hand in hand to transform lives and futures.
