The Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for West and Central Africa, Dr Sennen Hounton, has reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting vulnerable adolescents in Ghana through programmes aimed at improving the lives of adolescent girls, boys and young women.

Dr Hounton gave the assurance during a visit to the Ussher Hospital in James Town, Accra, on Monday, July 20, where he interacted with vulnerable adolescent girls and young women currently undergoing vocational skills training under a UNFPA-supported initiative.

After assessing the programme, Dr Hounton commended the hospital's management and staff for their dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable young people.

"Thank you very much. We want to thank you for the work that you are doing. On behalf of my boss, I want to say that we are committed to doing our utmost best. We will continue supporting you," he told the hospital management.

Drawing on his background as a medical doctor, he praised the staff for going beyond their core responsibilities.

"I am also a physician, so I can appreciate what you are doing. You are going beyond the call of duty. You could simply sit here and provide care to whoever comes to you, but you are looking after the well-being and dignity of the people you serve, and I think that is truly a blessing," he said.

Hospital authorities revealed that between 2014 and 2026, a total of 14,532 adolescent girls, boys and young women accessed healthcare services at the facility.

Of this number, 73.4 per cent were in school, 26.6 per cent were school dropouts, while 7.5 per cent were enrolled in apprenticeship programmes.

As part of efforts to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable adolescents, UNFPA has, over the years, supported beneficiaries to acquire vocational skills in areas such as dressmaking and beauty therapy.

Currently, fifty adolescent girls and young women are receiving vocational training at the hospital's Adolescent Corner under the UNFPA-supported programme.

UNFPA has partnered with Ussher Hospital since 2001 to address preventable maternal deaths, tackle communicable and non-communicable diseases, and strengthen the facility's health systems.

Dr Hounton is in Ghana for a five-day official visit, which combines high-level bilateral engagements with participation in the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra.

The visit is expected to deepen collaboration between the government of Ghana, the African Union, development partners and United Nations agencies on key priorities, including sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, youth empowerment and universal health coverage.