Accra: Ms Esther Boatemaa Agyapong, a member of the National Resource Team for Adolescent Health, has revealed that education on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has been incorporated into adolescent health training tools to mitigate its impact on young people. The revised training content is being disseminated to public health nurses and adolescent health focal persons across the nation to equip both in-school and out-of-school adolescents with the skills needed to prevent and address SGBV.
According to Ghana News Agency, the updated training was discussed during a hybrid event organized under the Peer Support Service Provider (PSSP) project. The discussion aimed to educate adolescents on SGBV and bolster victim support mechanisms. Health providers emphasized that SGBV management is now a component of the minimum package of services for adolescent health, encompassing prevention, clinical management, and long-term rehabilitation or referral.
Ms Doris Ocansey, the Adolescent Health Focal Person for the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, explained that the PSSP project is designed to empower adolescents by raising awareness about sexual and gender-based violence. The project also addresses adolescent reproductive health and the prevention of teenage pregnancies. She advised adolescents on the correct use of contraceptives, noting that while condoms offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases, other contraceptive methods solely prevent pregnancy.
The programme underscored the necessity of establishing effective linkages between health workers providing primary medical care and community-based institutions offering psychosocial support to abuse victims. Mr Benjamin Yirenkyi, a public health personnel, presented SGBV prevention strategies and introduced the 'LIVES' framework for first-line support, which focuses on listening with empathy, avoiding judgment, and promptly connecting victims to suitable health services.