Mr Isaac Kingsely Ahunu-Armah, District Chief Executive for Gomoa East, has called on health workers in the Central Region to intensify public education on family planning services.

He said teenage pregnancy and the incidence of unsafe abortion were high in the district.

Mr Ahunu-Armah made the call at the re-launched of Family Planning Services in Gomoa Afranse.

The re-launch, initiated by the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development and Marie Stopes International among others, was to increase awareness of family planning services in the district and ensure its acceptance.

Mr Ahunu-Armah said in 2011, the district recorded 589 teenage pregnancies and 681 in 2012 with the first quarter of 2013 recording 160.

He said in some communities, having many children were regarded as a sign of worth, prestige, important source of labour on farms and providers of help to the elderly.

The DCE said lack of planning ones family might bring social exclusion, poverty and maternal and infant mortality.

Mr Wilberforce Adadeh, Gomoa East District Director of Health Services, cautioned religious bodies against preventing their members from practicing family planning.

He said the youth of today were sexually active and would be in trouble if religious bodies prevented them from practicing family planning.

Mrs Crystal Clottey, Deputy Director of Nursing Services, said the re-launch of family planning services in the district was due to its low acceptance rate.

She said people used poverty in the district as an excuse to stay away from family planning services.

Mrs Veronica Amoako, District Public Health Nurse, said teenage pregnancy was high in the district because they did practice family planning.

She said free family planning services would be rendered by Marries Steopes International in the district this month and urged the youth to take advantage of it.

Mr Benjamin Dadson, District Disease Control Officer, appealed to the people to accept family planning services to help them come out of poverty and give birth to strong and healthy children.