It is part of activities under the ‘Increasing young people’s awareness on unsafe abortion’ project supported by Menion Daniels Limited through the multilateral funding agency Amplify Change.    

Welcoming participants, the Executive Director of GHANECare a non-governmental organization Mr. Richard Kuunaah said the programme was in consonance with his outfit’s mission of promoting and protecting the rights of women, children and the youth to basic social services adding that the trainees will be expected to act as advocates among their peers.

“Worldwide an estimated five million women are hospitalized each year for the treatment of abortion related complications such as hemorrhage and sepsis. Complications due to unsafe abortion procedures account for an estimated 13% of maternal deaths worldwide or 67,000 per year.” He said.

The Atebubu-Amantin district director of health services Mr. Ahmed Ramseyer took participants through the definition of abortion, unsafe abortion, why people engage in it and its complications.

He also spoke about the Comprehensive Abortion Care policy which allows any female with an unwanted pregnancy to walk freely to designated health facilities for abortion, the rationale behind the policy and where it could be accessed within the district.

“Is it not better to abort an unwanted foetus than to carry out an evacuation on a dying woman because she attempted an unsafe abortion?” He asked.

Participants asked questions on a wide range of issues bothering on the subject sharing very interesting experiences in the process.

They pledged to share the knowledge acquired with others to ensure the objectives of the project are achieved.

Radio talk shows and mini community durbars will be used to compliment the activities of the advocates.