Mushindamo recorded 629 teen pregnancies in 2022

Mushindamo District recorded a total of 629 cases of teenage pregnancies for the period January 2022 to September 2022.

Mushindamo District Health Director, Gabriel Sialubono has disclosed that  the cases include girls between 10  and 19 years.

Dr Sialubono said St Dorothy area recorded 109 pregnant cases among teenages.

Dr Sialubono said despite the implementation of various interventions by the Ministry of Health and cooperating partners, most young people are still victims of early pregnancies, marriages and HIV and AIDS.

The District Health Director was speaking in Mushindamo yesterday during a monitoring check of UNFPA programmes in the area.

And Provincial Permanent Secretary, Grandson Katambi has called on district administration and traditional leadership to take action against perpetrators.

Col Katambi said most of the recorded pregnancies involve elderly men that know it is an offence to have carnal knowledge of a minor.

“At times you find the person that impregnated the child is an old person and the parents to the girl child keep quiet because they get incentives from the man, ” he said.

The Permanent Secretary also directed the district administration to start senstisation meetings on teenage pregnancies, HIV and AIDS and early marriages.

Col Katambi said the truck park at St Dorothy has also contributed to the increase in the teenage pregnancy cases as teenagers are seen patrolling the area at night.

Meanwhile, District Commissioner, Andrew Kalangwa has called for concerted efforts from various stakeholders to fight the increase in teenage pregnancies among girls in the district.

Mr Kalangwa has also called for increased funding to law enforcement agencies such as Zambia police to enhance their operations.

He said the case of 629 teenagers getting pregnant is a wakeup call to parents and stakeholders that children need to be protected.