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The Acting Eastern Regional Population Officer, Mr Kwasi Owusu Obeng, has called for the intensification of education on sexual and reproductive health for girls to help reduce the rising teenage pregnancy in the Eastern Region.

He explained that, the 2017 maternal health survey indicated that over 70 per cent of teenage girls between the ages of 15 to 19 years had no correct knowledge of their fertility period and the survey also indicated that over 13 per cent of girls in that age bracket had already started bearing children.

Mr Obeng was speaking at the celebration of the World Population Day at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

He appealed to the media to create a sustained campaign on reproductive health needs of women and girls during this era of the corona virus pandemic.

Mrs Ellen Asare, Deputy Director, Nursing Service, called for an increase in the number of trained midwives in life savings skills.

She also called for the increase in the number of community health nurses trained in inplant insertion and removal to help enhance availability of family planning services.

Mrs Asare called on the media to intensify radio discussions on maternal and child health issues.

Ms Juliana Abbeyquaye, Acting Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, appealed to the media to champion the provision of safe shelters for women and children abused in their homes.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns have increased gender based violence in many homes because of lack of money.

Ms Abbeyquaye called for the strengthening of institutions that handle issues on women and children including churches and other religious institutions to help protect the rights of women and children.