A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has urged the government to urgently clear family‑planning commodities valued at about $500,000 that have been held at Tema Port since August 2024.
A public‑health advocate with Marie Stopes International, Henrietta Kaakyire Ataah, said emphasised that the shipment was procured by the United Nations Population Fund for the Ministry of Health but remains uncleared.
“So there is over $500,000 for family planning commodities, which is stuck at the Tema port since August 2024, we are urging and pleading with the government, the ministry of health, the ministry of finance to expedite the release of these commodities.
“We know the president has given a go ahead for CSOs to engage with the necessary ministries to work on this, we plead with you that release this product so that we the girls can have access,” she stated.
Mrs Ataah warned that the delay is putting women’s health at risk as supplies of pills, implants, injectables and condoms run low.
She highlighted that the situation both denies access to commodities and increases reproductive‑health problems such as teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and unsafe abortions.
She also noted that there are times when women visit facilities only to be denied services because their preferred options are unavailable.
“Because there are instances where women enter into facilities and they are declined services because the options and choices they want are not available this isn’t the Ghana we want, family planning gives women urgency and it helps them to contribute to national development so you can imagine when a girl and women are denied access, the implications it will have on the woman on her career,” she uttered.
She further appealed to the government, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant authorities to expedite clearance so that women and girls can access essential family‑planning services without disruption.
Vanessa Elizabeth Nkum
