NGO assists people to demand better access to reproductive health

The Centre for Development of the People (CEDEP) in partnership with the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) have launched a project to assist people in selected communities to demand better access to responsive reproductive and maternal health care.

The communities are in the Sekyere East District in Ashanti and the Dormaa Municipality in the Brong-Ahafo regions.

Madam Aba Oppong, Health Manager of CEDEP, said the goal was to highlight the reproductive rights of people, particularly poor women, the young and other disadvantaged groups in underserved areas.

Dubbed: “The advocacy and accountability project”, it involves communication training and public education campaign through community forums.

Speaking at the official launch at Effiduase, Madam Oppong said the expectation was that the project would help to build a more accountable health system.

This would manifest in increased investment in the Community Health Improvement Programme (CHIPs) compounds, family planning and obstetric care services in the districts.

The project is being implemented in two phases and would end in March 31, 2012.

Mr Charles Sakyi, Deputy Director of CEDEP, appealed to assembly members to work hard and mobilize their communities to tackle sanitation problems.

He also invited all the people to join in efforts at eliminating child labour and advised parents to enroll their children in school.

The District Director of Health, Madam Josephine Awusu said health was a basic need of society and urged the people to keep their homes and surroundings clean to ensuire good health.

She encouraged them to accept family planning methods so as to space child birth.

The size of their families should be such that their budget could take care of, she added.

Source: GNA