The Catholic Bishops Conference has condemned the sale of sperms in Ghana. This follows reports that fertility treatment is increasingly becoming popular in Ghana by the day. Health experts have raised alarm about the phenomenon. They are worried the increasing commercialization of sperm and egg donation might cause people to contract viruses such as HIV. For instance, Gynecologist at the Komfo Anokye Hospital, Dr. Ernest Kwarko, says increasing commercialization of sperm and egg donation needs stringent measures to ensure recipients are not affected by deadly virus. President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu tells Joy News the sale of sperms is against God’s principles. He explained that procreation is something that has to take place between a man and a women; this, he said, means having children should be done in the context of marriage. “And so if people are going to sell sperm then it takes it out of the area of marriage, that is why the Catholic Church is concerned, that is not right, it is wrong and so that shouldn’t be done at all.” Most Reverend Joseph Osei- Bonsu rather advised childless couples to seek medical treatment. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection says it has already begun consultations to begin a national dialogue on the phenomenon. Mercy Adjabeng, Public Relation Officer for the Ministry tells Joy News the dialogue will take place this year. “Our strategy is to have national gender dialogue on emerging trend that are quite worrying. One is child prostitution, another is surrogacy – situation where young girls are made to get pregnant for people – and then the sperm and egg donation.”
