FAWE Ghana laments HIV, STIs, drug abuse surges in Builsa North, Kassena Nankana West Districts

 The Forum for African Women Educationists (FAWE), has described the appalling surge in Sexually Trans­mitted Infections (STIs), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and drug abuse among young adolescents in the Builsa North Municipality and Kassena-Nan­kana West District, both in the Upper East Region.

The organisation said if re­mained unchecked, it could spiral an unbridled harm to the growth and the general sexual reproduc­tive health of adults and adoles­cents.

Speaking to The Ghanaian Times on the sidelines of a com­munity engagement meeting at Su­warinsa in Sandema of the Builsa North District, Mr John Meekisho of FAWE Africa, who doubles as the Lead Finance Officer for the Sexual Reproductive Health Education (SHARE), a consor­tium project, said the community stakeholder engagement was organised to assess the impact of the SHARE project.

FAWE is part of the consor­tium, which also has WaterAid Ghana as partners, with Right to Play, serving as lead implementers, according to Mr Meekisho.

FAWE Ghana Chapter had for the past four years been imple­menting the SHARE project aimed to reduce to an appreciable level, some social issues, includ­ing harmful traditional practices, teenage pregnancy, forced and early marriages that afflicted the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of adolescents in four districts and municipalities in the Upper East Region.

They include Bongo, Kasse­na-Nankana West, Builsa North and Kassena-Nankana Districts and Municipalities.

Mr Meekisho brought to light that the Global Affairs Cana­da-funded project had FHI 360 providing technical assistance, “and from the interaction with the participants today, we have realised that some critical issues are com­ing up, and these include HIV and STIs”.

On that score, he mentioned that the organisation would have to “jaw-jaw” on scaling up and integrating its interventions to curb the emerging trend.

“The SHARE project, being implemented by FAWE Ghana and its implementing partners, has done a marvellous job on the issue of teenage pregnancy, harmful traditional practices, and child marriage. We give them thumbs up!” he commended

FROM FRANCIS DABRE DABANG, SUWARINSA

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