The third edition of Secure Girls Talk, flagship programme of Secure Oral Contraceptive brand, to share thoughts and on issues related to family planning and how it can improve relationships has been held at KNUST.
The event, which brought together young women for an evening of learning, was to create an intimate environment for young ladies to have serious and open conversations with experts about their fears and issues that challenged them.
Mr Antonio Quarshie-Awusah, Chief of Party, Ghana Social Marketing Programme (GSMP), said Secure Girls Talk was a USAID funded project being implemented by PSI Ghana to support the government to improve the health status of the population through a variety of Social Marketing, Social and Behaviour Change Communication as well as Provider Behaviour Change Communication (PBCC) interventions that could be sustained overtime.
The objective of the forum was to engage young women in an educative and insightful discussion on reproductive health issues focusing on: achieving personal goals without unplanned pregnancies becoming a barrier, the misconceptions of using contraceptives, the importance of family planning, and the secrets to successful long-term love relationships.
Dr Emmanuel Ameh, an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist at the Ghana Health Service demystified the misconception about family planning being harmful to the reproductive health of women.
According to him, family planning required the use of modern methods of contraceptives, which were safe and effective depending on the needs and health conditions of a person.
He stated that being on any of the methods, such as injectables; implants, intrauterine device (IUD), and patches, “do not in any way tamper with future pregnancy and does not also in any way affect an individuals sex life”.
He explained that: “family planning should not be seen as only a means to prevent pregnancy, but also a convenient and safer way to help women plan to get pregnant when they want to”.
He advised those who are on emergency contraceptive pills to use it only during emergencies and not to use on daily basis and took participants through the different types of family planning methods, which were broadly classified under Permanent and Reversible methods.
Dr. Ameh reiterated the need to scale up education programmes in universities and communities to help dispel common myth and misconceptions about modern family planning methods.
He lauded Secure Oral Contraceptive brand for the initiative, stating that, “the Secure Girls Talk series is an important platform to give young women the opportunity to learn more about their sexuality”.
“The more we discuss sexuality, the more people are prepared to plan their relationships, marriages or pregnancies and the more they take wise decisions. It’s my firm belief that going forward with these series, we can reorient young women to become more responsible both now and in their adult life,” he added.
Educating the students on how to successfully live within amiable and love relationships, Madam Maura Ntow, a Clinical Psychologist at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, indicated that many relational challenges stemmed from the inability and unwillingness to discuss sexual matters.
She entreated young women to talk and confide in their parents as well as professional counsellors, since they were willing listeners who will guide them to make the right choices in life.
Madam Ntow also commended Secure Oral Contraceptive brand for organising the Secure Girls Talk series for creating the essential platform to sensitise young women and empower them on best ways to start out life.
Over 100 students attended the Secure Girls Talk programme.
GNA
