Young Urban Women movement calls for increase of adolescent friendly health corners in hospitals
The Young Urban Women’s Movement has called for increased investment in adolescent-friendly health corners in health facilities across the Northern Region to improve young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health services.
The call follows a cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative study conducted by the movement with technical support from ActionAid Ghana to assess the availability and functionality of Adolescent-Friendly Health Corners (AFHCs) in selected health facilities in the region.
The study revealed that six out of ten health facilities assessed had adolescent-friendly health corners, but only two had designated spaces specifically for young people. The remaining four facilities provided integrated services, which many adolescents find uncomfortable to access.
According to the study, four of the facilities had trained staff on adolescent health, while four others received training between 2024 and 2025. In addition, only four out of the ten facilities had conducted outreach programmes targeting adolescents.
Services offered at the facilities include Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) information and counselling, mental health support, contraceptive services, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, menstrual health support, and life skills training.
The research focused on adolescents aged 10 to 19, a group considered a vital and dynamic segment of the population.
The study also referenced the Ghana Adolescent Health Service Policy and Strategy (2016–2020) and the National Adolescent Health Guidelines (2021), which recommend that adolescent-friendly health corners should be established at various levels of the health system, including district hospitals, polyclinics, health centres, and CHPS compounds.
Adolescent-friendly health corners are designed to provide young people with access to sexual and reproductive health services, mental health counselling, and life skills training in a supportive and youth-friendly environment.
Presenting the findings during the celebration of International Women’s Day at Tuutingli in the Tamale Metropolis, Northern Regional Chairperson of the Young Urban Women’s Movement, Sumaya Sulemana, said the research aimed to assess the status and functionality of adolescent-friendly health corners across nine regions.
She explained that the study sought to identify service gaps and advocate for strategic investments to strengthen existing facilities and establish new ones where necessary.
Ten health facilities across three districts in the Northern Region were assessed. These included the Tamale Technical University Hospital, Builpiela Health Centre, Vittin Health Centre, and Kpanvo Health Centre in the Tamale Metropolis; Sagnarigu Health Centre, Choggu Health Centre, Garizhegu CHPS, and Malshegu CHPS in the Sagnarigu Municipality; as well as Tolon Health Centre and Nyankpala Health Facility in the Tolon District.
The assessment team engaged district health authorities, facility health personnel, and adolescents through focus group discussions, with support from staff of ActionAid Ghana, to validate the data.
The findings also indicated that eight of the facilities were accessible to adolescents seeking contraceptive services. Common sexually transmitted infections reported at the facilities included gonorrhea, hepatitis B, candidiasis, syphilis, and HIV, particularly among pregnant women.
The Young Urban Women’s Movement recommended that health facilities train more personnel to create a welcoming environment for adolescents seeking healthcare services.
The movement also urged facilities to establish designated adolescent corners and consider setting aside specific days for youth-focused services.
In addition, it called on government and development partners to provide adequate resources and medications to enable facilities to deliver effective services to young people.
The YUWM further encouraged health facilities to intensify outreach programmes to raise awareness about available services and encourage more adolescents to access healthcare.
Some adolescents who shared their experiences also called for more adolescent-friendly health corners and improved attitudes from some health professionals when attending to young clients.
Responding to the concerns, a representative from the Ghana Health Service Northern Regional Directorate, Zenaib Sadiq, assured the youth of the directorate’s commitment to addressing their concerns.
She advised adolescents to disregard myths and misconceptions surrounding contraceptives and to regularly visit health facilities to seek professional healthcare services.
