Dr. Osei Kuffour Afreh, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Health Director in-charge of Public Health, has expressed worry about surge in liver-related diseases in the region.

This, he said, was being fueled by alcoholism and excessive smoking, particularly among the adolescents.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a workshop on sexual reproductive health for students, that sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and teenage pregnancies were also high.

The programme was jointly organized by the regional health directorate and the Ghana Education Service (GES).

It formed part of the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health (GHARH) Project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the goal of which, is to help reduce teenage in the region.

Dr. Afreh said although abstinence was the surest way to protect people from STIs and unwanted pregnancy, adolescents unable to control their sexual desire must be encouraged to go for family planning services.

He again asked teachers and school heads not to punish students found with condoms, adding that, sex education needed to be made an integral part of the school curricula.

It must not be lost on anybody that many teenagers were sexually involved and for that matter, they must be supported to use condoms and pills to prevent getting pregnant and dropping out of school.

Dr. Afreh hinted that the directorate was working closely with the School Health Education Programme of the GES and teachers in selected SHSs to ensure that adolescents received adequate information on sexual reproductive health.

Adolescent health corners had been established in some communities, where they could access information and education on sexual reproductive health.

He said those corners had also been rendering counseling services on abortion to pregnant girls.