Multi-Sector Collaboration Deepens to Improve Adolescent Health

Stakeholders in adolescent health have renewed their commitment to scaling up the Adolescent Safety Net Programme to ensure pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers across Ghana receive comprehensive health, psychosocial and social support services.

The renewed commitment was reaffirmed during a stakeholder engagement convened by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with UNICEF, aimed at strengthening adolescent sexual and reproductive health services and improving the delivery of support to vulnerable young people.

The meeting brought together representatives from the health, education and social protection sectors, development partners and other key stakeholders to review progress under the programme and develop strategies for expanding its reach across the country.

Welcoming participants, the Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Chrysantus Kubio, highlighted the realities of adolescent pregnancy and maternal health at the primary healthcare level. Dr. Kubio revealed that the Northern Region alone recorded 955 institutional deliveries among adolescents within the past year, with many young girls tragically losing their lives during childbirth despite attending antenatal care multiple times. He emphasized that the ultimate measure of a health system’s robustness is its maternal mortality index, warning that if young mothers continue to die from preventable physiological events, the fundamental structures of primary care must be urgently re-examined and repaired.

Discussions focused on strengthening adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, improving the use of data for planning and decision-making, and enhancing collaboration among institutions responsible for promoting the health and wellbeing of adolescents.

Prof. Patricia Akweongo from the University of Ghana School of Public Health introduced the Adolescent Parenting Intervention, presenting baseline data from Tamale and the Kumbungu Districts. She stated that the evaluation revealed that 74% of surveyed pregnant adolescents had no income, and 29% had never attended school. Prof. Akweongo noted a critical gap where many girls drop out of the health system between early pregnancy detection and antenatal enrollment.

Participants emphasized the importance of a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to addressing adolescent pregnancy, noting that the challenge extends beyond healthcare and requires sustained support through education, social protection and community engagement.

Stakeholders observed that pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers often face multiple barriers, including limited access to quality healthcare, psychosocial support, education and social services. They stressed that addressing these challenges is critical to improving maternal and child health outcomes while enabling young mothers to continue their education and pursue productive futures.

The Adolescent Safety Net Programme provides an integrated package of services designed to meet the diverse needs of pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers. These include access to maternal healthcare, psychosocial counselling, sexual and reproductive health information and services, referrals to social protection programmes, and support for school re-entry where appropriate.

Participants also underscored the need to strengthen data collection and utilisation to improve programme monitoring, identify service gaps and support evidence-based policy decisions. Better coordination and information sharing among implementing agencies, they noted, will enhance the effectiveness of interventions and ensure that resources are directed to communities where they are needed most.

The engagement further highlighted the importance of deepening collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and local communities to create a supportive environment that empowers adolescents to make informed decisions about their health and future.

The Adolescent Safety Net Programme seeks to prioritize the health and safety of pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers while strengthening adolescent sexual and reproductive health services as part of broader efforts to improve health outcomes. With these efforts, adolescent pregnancies could be reduced and ensure that every young girl has access to the care, protection and opportunities needed to reach her full potential.

Source: Ghana Health Service
By: Joyce Owusu