Enhancing family planning services in northern Ghana: a landscape assessment to develop strategic interventions using an academic partnership approach

Northern Ghana faces a significant shortage of family planning (FP) services, leading to high rates of unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions that contribute to regional maternal mortality. Through the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Ghana, a partnership between Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), the University for Development Studies School of Medicine (UDS-SoM), and New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSOM), key stakeholders began strengthening regional FP services using the Exploration-Preparation-Implementation-Sustainment (EPIS) framework. We present how an adapted landscape assessment was used during the Exploration and Preparation phase to guide intervention development at TTH, the regions sole tertiary referral FP clinic. We adapted the Supply-Enabling Environment-Demand (SEEDTM) Assessment Guide for Family Planning Programming. The original survey, which included both open-ended and closed-ended questions, was edited and contextualized by stakeholders at TTH, UDS, and NYUGSOM, pilot tested (n=8), and distributed to clinicians at the FP unit (n=24). Responses were analyzed and grouped by key themes. Areas for improvement included staff training, especially youth-friendly delivery, service integration with a focus on cervical cancer screening and abortion care, and barriers to access for underserved groups including youth, adolescents, and single men. Stakeholder review of survey results highlighted three priorities: in-service trainings, integration of cervical cancer screening, and youth-centered counseling training. The landscape assessment provided clear direction for strengthening FP services at TTH and set the foundation for AMPATH Ghanas next steps. The priorities identified offer a focused roadmap for improving training, service integration, and access. As the team advances into the Implementation and Sustainment phases of the EPIS framework, these findings will guide coordinated action and demonstrate the value of implementation science in building effective and equitable interventions within global health partnerships.