Marie Stopes Launches Technical Working Group on Adolescent Family Planning

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Marie Stopes Sierra Leone (MSSL) in partnership with Health Alert (MSSL) with funding from the European Union on Thursday, 28th September 2023, launched the National Adolescent Family Planning Technical Working Group at Swiss Hotel, Lumley in Freetown.

The technical working group was set up to create an enabling environment for adolescents to access family planning services and equally to overcome some of the many challenges ahead of them.

In her welcome address, the Advocacy Officer of Marie Stopes Sierra Leone, Kadie Luseni underscored the importance of the launching. She described the issues relating to adolescents as critical and must be handled with all seriousness. She cited peer group pressure and other issues as challenge they face daily in accessing Family Planning Services.

She said the group will now be used as a vital component seeking Sexual Reproductive Health Services (SRHS).

She pointed out that the Youth for Health (Y4H) project which Marie Stopes Sierra Leone and Health Alert are implementing will achieve it intended goal.

In his statement, the Advocacy and External Relations Manager of Marie Stopes Sierra Leone, Sandy Massaquoi said, Y4H project is being implemented in countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Sierra Leone to expand the life-changing adolescent sexual and reproductive healthcare.

He recalled that MSSL has been in operation in the country since 1986 and has established itself as the largest provider of Family Planning and Sexual Reproductive Health services. He said as a health services prover organization, they are working with the Government of Sierra Leone through Ministry of Health, other health partners, and key stakeholders in reducing maternal mortality and contraceptive prevalence rates.

He noted that the three years project is co-funded by the European Union, CIFF and Danida. He said the direct beneficiaries are adolescents and vulnerable women in hard-to-reach communities.  He said their projection is to see at the end of the project, an increased demand for   access to high quality and nondiscrimination of ASRHR services.

Speaking on behalf of Health Alert (HASIL), Darlton John stated that HASIL is a local civil society organization working with other health service providers.  He said their focus is advocacy and accountability programming in Sierra Leone.  He furthered that since 2020 they have also done capacity building, engage in development and advocacy for full access to Reproductive health services. They also look at Maternal Newborn, Adolescents and Nutrition Networking (RMNCAH+N), of local civil society and media, and accountability with partners in Sierra Leone.

He assured all that in partnership with Marie Stapes on the   implementation of the Y4P project, they will achieve the project goals and objectives.   The group was will be chaired by the Ministry of Health and Co-chaired by MSSL.

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