Akatsi South Health Directorate Tackles Rising Teenage Pregnancy and Non-Communicable Disease Burden

The Akatsi South Municipality is currently grappling with significant public health challenges, ranging from a surge in teenage pregnancies to a heavy burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the Municipal Director of Health Services, Mrs. Justine Sefakor Alornyo, the municipality recorded 177 teenage pregnancies between January and June 2026. This figure constitutes 13.2% of all pregnancies in the area, notably exceeding the national target of 11.5%. Of these cases, seven involved girls between the ages of 10 and 14, while 170 were recorded among adolescents aged 15 to 19, sparking urgent calls for coordinated community intervention.

Mrs. Alornyo characterized the rise in teenage pregnancy as a multifaceted issue that reflects failures in health, social, and educational protections for young girls. She emphasized that the solution must extend beyond the health sector to include a multi-sectoral response involving traditional authorities, educational institutions, and social services. To address this, the Health Directorate plans to intensify outreach for adolescent sexual and reproductive health services and strengthen community-based antenatal care initiatives to ensure early health facility access and better outcomes for young mothers.

Simultaneously, the municipality is managing a substantial number of chronic health conditions. Health officials are currently overseeing 608 cases of hypertension, alongside 255 cases of kidney-related diseases, 235 cases of diabetes, 96 strokes, and 66 cases of liver disease. The high number of recorded cases is partly attributed to a successful mass screening campaign that has improved early detection and referrals. These efforts have earned Akatsi South a ranking of fourth among the 18 districts in the Volta Region for performance in managing non-communicable diseases.

Looking ahead, the Health Directorate intends to sustain and expand its screening initiatives throughout the remainder of 2026. Mrs. Alornyo has encouraged residents to utilize the screening services available across the municipality’s 40 health facilities and stressed the importance of treatment adherence to mitigate the complications associated with NCDs. By combining intensified public outreach with stronger community collaboration, health officials aim to improve the overall health profile and maternal outcomes for the residents of Akatsi South.