Dr. Leticia Adelaide Appiah, the Executive Director of National Population Council (NPC), has revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic is on the threat to hinder some paramount goals of the SDG across the world.
Zero maternal deaths, zero unmet needs for family planning and zero sexual and gender based violence, as well as harmful practices are goals of the SDG and Ghana beyond aid.
The Executive Director reiterated that she will ensure that sexual reproductive health rights and services stay on the local agenda to enlist societal and political wills to maintain the willpower towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
According to Dr. Appiah “Investing in reproductive health safeguards the lives of women and children, improves family and community wellbeing and boost economic gains. But yet as a country we are far from achieving the benefits of reproductive health”.
Speaking at a Pre-launch of World Population Day on the theme: “Putting the brake on Covid-19: How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now”, Dr. Appiah noted that “In this pandemic, population issues are also influencing the outcome of our livelihoods and thus should no longer be ignored, where she averted that said it was important for the country to remain committed to safeguarding hard-fought gains in promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of women and girls and keep the issues on the local agenda during the pandemic.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service said the service by way of controlling population had mainstreamed family planning services and also extended its scope by using Community Health planning services and also extended its scope by using community health Nurses to reach out to the vulnerable.
Dr. Agnes Ntibanyurwa, the UNFPA Deputy Country Director called on Government to put in place measures to ensure the achievement of the formative goals target, which were necessary in meeting the SDG goals.
Ms. Patricia Antwi-Bosiako, the Deputy Director of Operations and Advocacy Marie Stopes Ghana, also pledged to support the NPC and called for the need to prioritize and invest in the health of women and girls.
“Our ability to achieve the SDGs in ten years to safeguard the future of our girls and sustainable depends largely on the investments we make today as a country”, she stated.
World Population Day, established by Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, which aims at increasing awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights, is celebrated in Ghana by National Population Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund and other development partners.
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