Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) on Wednesday presented a Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle to the Central Region Directorate of Ghana Health Service (GHS) in Accra.

The donation is part of European Union /UNFPA and Government of Ghana Project to strengthen community-based reproductive health and information in the Region.

The Project is part of an umbrella programme for 2003-2004 for 22 African and Caribbean countries, which aim to expand access by poor communities to comprehensive quality sexual reproductive health.

Mrs Dorothy Wacker, Representative of the European Union (EU), said the EU recognized the importance of sexual and reproductive health issues in poverty eradication and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

She expressed the hope that the GHS would be able to accomplish the projected goals so that the people in the Central Region would receive the necessary knowledge, information and means to actively decide upon family planning.

Mr Makane Kane, UNFPA Representative, said, even though, Ghana had made some strides and achievements in the area of population, development and reproductive health, much more needed to be done. He said the overall objective of the Project was to develop a sustainable national capacity to manage and deliver quality integrated sexual and reproductive health service based on principles of social equality and human rights.

"The Project is not a special or vertical project but one that builds on existing structures and programmes of the Ministry of Health," he said.

Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health, who received the donation on behalf of the GHS, presented the keys to the Central Region Director of Health service.