Statement from Dr. Fred Sai on President Obama's Visit to Ghana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 (Accra, Ghana) “We are proud to welcome the President and First Lady to Ghana and are excited they will be discussing the ‘keys to lasting development’ in the region with President Mills. A critical but lagging component of development is the need to invest in gender equity and equality. Central to this is access to comprehensive reproductive health care and family planning, to ensure that women have every opportunity to attain their own life aspirations and enter motherhood safely and confidently.

As an advisor to different governments in Ghana on these issues for decades, I have seen many health challenges facing women and families, number one being the inability to manage fertility aspirations. And while our fertility rate of about four children per woman is low for the region, it is double that of the United States. Population Action International released a report in June examining why 34 percent of married women in Ghana who want contraception don’t have access to it. The population of Ghana could double in about 30 years if we do not address this unmet need which is fundamental to achieving broader and lasting development goals. The current high rate of population growth, with its built-in momentum due to the large proportion of children and youth, has the potential to frustrate development efforts.

We are heartened and welcome the United States back as an international leader on family planning and reproductive health issues. President Obama sent a message to the world by repealing the Global Gag Rule and by proposing increased funding for family planning. Reproductive health investments will help improve the lives of women and families in Ghana, and we hope in Africa as a whole.

It is our hope and wish that President Obama and his family have a successful and enjoyable visit.”

Population Action International uses research and advocacy to improve access to family planning and reproductive health care across the world so women and families can prosper and live in balance with the earth. By ensuring couples are able to determine the size of their families, poverty and the depletion of natural resources are reduced, improving the lives of millions across the world.

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For more information:

Dr. Fred Sai, Board Member, Population Action International
Tel: 021 774404, Mobile: 264 32 65 32

Michael Khoo, Vice President of Communications, Population Action International
Mobile: (202) 669-7911, mkhoo[at]popact[dot]org