The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has outlined programmes to fight the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.

In collaboration with the Municipal Education Directorate, the Company seeks to sensitise people on the implications of teenage pregnancy and the importance of adolescent reproductive health education.

This is expected to reduce the pregnancy trends in the area by some 30% in the next five years.

In June 2021 alone, over 900 pregnancy cases were recorded in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea Huni Valley municipalities.

Out of the figure, Prestea Huni Valley recorded 537 cases.

The Community Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Manager of Gold Fields Damang Mine, Abdel Razak Yakubu, said the essence of the collaboration will help the young ones avoid risky behaviours and stay healthy to enable them to focus on their studies.

On her part, the Municipal Education Director, Vida Kwofie, expressed worry over what she described as the high prevalence of adolescent motherhood, especially among Junior High School (JHS) students in the Municipality.

According to her, concerted efforts should be made to reduce the trend, which she says is affecting the development of teenage girls in the area.

One hundred twenty peer educators have been trained from 24 schools in the Damang and Huni-Valley circuits of education to help facilitate the initiative.