Social media a double-edged sword for young people’s health – GHS
By Murtala Issah Social media offers enormous opportunities to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young people, but its growing influence is also fuelling misinformation, myths and the normalisation of harmful behaviour, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has warned. “Social media presents enormous opportunities for SRHR promotion among young people; however, it […]
Ghana's Health Service warns that social media can be both a powerful tool and a double-edged sword for young people's sexual and reproductive health. Acting Director Mabel Kissiwah Asafo spoke at the launch of the 2026 Northern Ghana SRHR Conference for Young People, highlighting the platform's potential to promote health awareness, while also noting the risks of misinformation and harmful behavior.
Teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and HIV infections remain major concerns for Ghana's youth, with UNICEF reporting that 15.2% of girls aged 15-19 have experienced pregnancy and 16% of women aged 20-24 were married before 18. The conference, now in its seventh year, aims to empower young people, especially women, to advocate for their rights and challenge harmful practices.
However, the organizers stress that providing information alone is insufficient – accurate and reliable information must be available on the same platforms where misinformation thrives.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
