The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Total Family Health Organisation (TFHO), a Ghanaian social marketing organization, have introduced two new healthcare products aimed at providing support to adolescents, women, and children in Ghana.
The newly launched products are Secure Sanitary Pads and ORAplus, an oral rehydration solution designed for children suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration. The Secure Sanitary Pads are ultra-thin and long, equipped with wings for better fitting, boasting high absorbency with 12 pads per pack, and are sold in packs of two. On the other hand, ORAplus comes in a pack containing two sachets of oral rehydration salts (ORS) for reconstitution in 500ml of water, featuring three flavours and 10 scored tablets of zinc.
Speaking at the launch event and the closeout of the USAID and TFHO Health Marketing Activity, Dr. Zohra Balsara, USAID/Ghana Health Office Director, expressed optimism about the potential of these products to provide affordable solutions for basic health and hygiene needs. She emphasized USAID's commitment to empowering individuals to make healthy life decisions and highlighted the significant role of the private sector in supporting the health of Ghanaians.
In Ghana, diarrhoea illness ranks as the fourth primary cause of death among young children. ORAplus, a combination of ORS and zinc, offers an effective treatment for children suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration. Mr. Joseph Addo-Yobo, the Executive Director of TFHO, noted that this is the first time such products have been packaged together in Ghana, aligning with global health evidence-based best practices.
Mr. Addo-Yobo underscored the importance of affordable menstrual hygiene supplies for the health and empowerment of adolescent girls and women. He highlighted the Secure Sanitary Pad as a high-quality, locally manufactured menstrual pad targeted at adolescent girls and young women, emphasizing its potential to ensure uninterrupted school attendance and work productivity.
The launch of these products builds on TFHO's existing suite of socially marketed products in Ghana, which includes the Sato Pan, the Secure contraceptive pill, and the Ebony condoms. TFHO's partnerships have expanded to target specific populations in need, including fishing communities where teenage pregnancies are prevalent.
Dr. Claudette A. Diogo, the National Family Planning and Logistic Manager/Pharmacist at Ghana Health Service, commended the collaboration with TFHO and other partners, expressing excitement about the event's significance as the Ghana Health Marketing Activity concludes and welcomes a new project from USAID. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that adolescents and children have access to healthcare, reaffirming the commitment to a holistic approach to healthcare accessibility.
The introduction of these new healthcare products reflects the ongoing efforts by USAID and TFHO to enhance healthcare access and improve health outcomes for individuals across Ghana, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations such as adolescents, women, and children.