Buduburam, (C/R) May 2, GNA - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Wednesday handed over eight sets of reproductive health kits to refugees at the Buduburam Camp to improve their access to services and reduce vulnerabilities of women and young people from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

The handing over, which was done in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), was also to equip health workers to provide clean deliveries for women in their homes, reduce morbidity and mortality within the refugee community and facilitate the effective treatment of STIs.

This is because without appropriate diagnosis and treatment of STIs, it would impair fertility and increase persons' susceptibility to acquiring HIV infection.

Handing over the kits to the UNHCR, Dr Makane Kane, UNFPA Country Representative, said his outfit recognized the fact that refugees and persons in emergency situations had the same vital human rights, which included the rights to reproductive health and information to enable them to make positive decision just like any other person.

"As we work together to rebuild lives and promote rights, partnership remains key in all our endeavours and access to services a priority in all settings."

The reproductive health kit includes clean delivery kit for individual and clean deliveries at home, equipment for birth attendants, contraception, treatment for STIs and clinical delivery assistance to be used in health facilities during normal deliveries. Dr Kane noted that there was the need to put in place effective reproductive health programmes for especially women and young people to protect their human rights such as the right to health to enable them to freely decide the number and spacing of children as well as information, education and their freedom from sexual violence and coercion. "Young people in particular face fewer restricted choices, have many challenges and uncertainties as well as narrower future aspirations and life options and therefore need more attention and support." He commended government for the recent passage of the Domestic Violence Act, which was awaiting presidential assent, and called for its full implementation.

"Women and girls are an equal half of the society and need to be protected against violence and abuse in all aspects in order to develop their full potentials to support development of the society." Ms Aida Haile Mariam, UNHCR Representative to Ghana, commended UNFPA for providing the needed resources for healthcare workers caring for the refugees in Ghana.

She noted that the refugee camp in 2006 had about 97 per cent of its births attended to by skilled health workers and 71 per cent of deliveries took place within the health facility. "These are, of course, encouraging statistics which we can view as an achievement.. The reproductive health kits will further equip this health clinic and its staff with resources to better care for reproductive health needs for the community."

Dr Zelalam Birhann, Doctor-in-charge of the St Gregory Catholic Clinic at the Buduburam Camp, giving an overview of the health situation said teenage pregnancy was very high. A significant percentage of all the ante-natal attendance was girls under 20 years. He said the clinic attended to 400 deliveries annually with most of the deliveries occurring in the homes.

Acute malnutrition was very high with 150 malnourished children being attended to every month.

Dr Birhann said there was a UNHCR supplementary feeding programme underway supported by government but complained that children stayed for long periods at the centre due to other associated illnesses. He also complained of the difficulties in obtaining drugs for tuberculosis patients as this distracted the treatment course for patients thereby causing re-infection. The Buduburam Camp has a population of over 40,000, out of which 24,000 have dully registered.