Mrs Nana Ama Obuobi-Donkor, Assistant Regional Population Officer, has called for more support and funding from government and donor agencies to enhance reproductive health education in the country.
Mrs Obuobi-Donkor said an enhanced reproductive health practice was important in regulating population growth and improving on the quality of life of the citizenry.
The Assistant Regional Population Officer made the remarks at the commemoration of the 2021 National Population Day held at the Weija-Gbawe Municipality in Accra.
The programme was on the theme “Prioritising reproductive health is the answer to rights and choices.”
The theme emphasised the rights and choices of an individual to access reproductive health practices without any hindrance.
The day is observed to monitor the country’s population demographics and its relation on social, economic and national development.
Mrs Obuobi-Donkor explained that reproductive health was a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being of the reproductive system and its functions.
She said reproductive health had implications on economic development as it regulated population growth and fertility control.
“With fewer births each year, a country’s working-age population grows larger relative to the young dependent population thus with more people in the labour force and fewer children to support, a country has a window of opportunity for economic growth,” she added.
She said to overcome the challenge of overpopulation; we should focus on population management to ensure growth of existing resources.
She called for strengthened integration of reproductive health service into the country’s national health care service.
Dr Abena Okoh, Weija-Gbawe Municipal Health Director, called for increased education and empowerment for women on the benefits of family planning systems towards national development.
“We need to educate our women, families and communities on the importance of family to their lives and national development,” she said.
She said family planning was integral in achieving less child mortality, and improving the well-being of children.
