Introduce condoms in Secondary Schools to curb unwanted pregnancies – Afia Schwarzenegger

Radio and television personality, Afia Schwarzenegger is not always in the news for the wrong reasons. This time around, she is advocating that, the Ghana Education Service is forced to introduce into the schools the use of condoms.

The award winning actress made this suggestion during a round table discussion on maternal mortality and morbidity organized by Ipas Ghana at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra under the theme “Are women’s lives worth saving”.

Talking about her experience whiles schooling in South Africa, she said abortion is largely practiced by teenagers and the act of sexual intercourse among teenagers cannot be stopped.

“One of the things we had in our secondary schools (in South Africa) that I think we need to introduce in our secondary school (in Ghana) is condoms. Whiles we were in school, we go to the bathroom and you see soap, water and condom stand. Why is it so?” She asked.

Afia Schwarzenegger

She continued that, the youth are having sexual intercourse without protection, whether the society admit it or not and that, the introduction of condoms will curb the situation and help prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

“Teenagers are having sex, whether we admit it, close our eyes, pretend it’s not happening. It’s happening. Teenagers are having sex and we are talking about abortion now. But why can’t we teach them the use of the condom”, she said.

“A teenager cannot comfortably go to a pharmacy store and say please sell me a condom but if it’s there, they will use it and when they use it, there won’t be a pregnancy and then we don’t even have to talk about abortion.”

According to her, it’s about time, we stopped being hypocrites because the teenagers are having sex on hourly basis and the time to act is now.

Ipas Ghana, a global nongovernmental organization dedicated to ending preventable deaths and disabilities from unsafe abortion keeps fighting the spread of abortion.

Others speakers at the event included Dr Pearl Allotey, Program Manager of Ipas Ghana, Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah, Country Director of Ipas Ghana, Dr Ali Samba, Senior Ob/Gyn Consultant, Korle-Bu, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa and Mr Selorme Kofi Azumah, Community Access Advisor of Ipas Ghana.