Family Planning Week launched in west Ghana

The Western Regional Family Planning Week was launched in Takoradi on Friday with the call on the public to discard the notion that the practice is an imposition on Ghanaians. Dr Kwaku Anin Karikari, Regional Deputy Director in charge of Public Health, told the ceremony that the practice was aimed at encouraging people to raise manageable family that they can adequately cater for so that they do not eventually become liability on families and society. He rejected the reports from visitations in some communities which indicate that the Ghana Health Service was implementing a practice imposed on the residents. Dr Karikari stated that Family Planning Week was observed periodically to create awareness on the need to remind people to practice the method responsibly. Uncontrolled family, resulting in over population, has the tendency to disrupt government budget, as funds has to be channelled into unplanned activities thus creating stress and inconvenience, he declared. The Deputy Director debunked the conception that the practice of Family Planning method could lead to barrenness or other sickness. He urged the people to pay regular visits to the Family Planning Centers for expert counselling as the theme for the occasion, "contraception, the right to information" demands. Mr Ofosu Asante, Regional Director of National Population Council, noted at the occasion that family planning is a concerted effort of all to manage to bring relief to the family and the nation. In this regard, he called all the Metropolitan, Municipal and district assemblies to join in the crusade to encourage family planning practice in order to achieve the desired results. Mr Edwin Kumbatazei, Regional Health Promotion Officer, entreated the public to make adequate use of the centers to acquire knowledge and make informed choices and never take advice from lay people as that could result in health complications. Population in the West African country has increase to 24 millions from that of only 6.4 million in 1960, when the Republic of Ghana was established.