Thirty percent of pregnant women attending clinics in Likuyani Sub-County are under-age girls between 10 and 18 years, the sub-county reproductive health official has revealed.
Daniel Maino told teenage pregnancy stakeholders meeting in Kongoni, Likuyani Sub-County Tuesday that the number of pregnant underage girls may go higher than the current figures if immediate intervention is not sought.
With the help of other relevant stakeholders, Maino believes that young girls will be helped and continue with education without interruption.
The stakeholder meeting comprised Ministry of health officials, National and Kakamega County Governments administrators, Police, Departments of Children and Social Services, Education together with Community Based Organisations narrowed on ‘High Impact Intervention’ as a strategy to end teenage pregnancy in the Sub-County.
According to Maino, ‘High Impact Intervention’ if adopted will single out each of the contributors to the early teenage pregnancy while advising on proper intervention especially on gender based violence and sexual harassment among school going girls.
“Stakeholders under ‘High Impact Intervention’ will be meeting monthly to assess the progress of intervention strategies, this will form a common ground for addressing other emerging issues,” Maino said.
The health reproductive officer admitted that the health department alone can’t succeed in addressing teenage pregnancy in the sub-County. He said they will work with the Ministry of education to ensure their return to school policy for girls having children at home is implemented well.
Maino revealed that the health department will be involved in counselling of girls with children to reduce stigma as they attend school.
He noted that poverty and ignorance among the young maturing girls on their reproductive health as some of the leading triggers of early pregnancy among school going girls.
Sexual harassment from boda boda riders and some teachers were identified as part of the causes of early teenage pregnancy.
Bottlenecks towards getting justice among affected girls, corruption, kangaroo courts, failure for one to testify before courts due threats stakeholders also pointed out as some of the setbacks to address teenage pregnancies in the Sub-County.
Addressing the same forum Abubakar Shikanda activist against gender based violence in Likuyani said cases of teenage pregnancy and sexual harassment shot up during corona period.
Shikanda further blamed Kangaroo Courts as major hindrance to justice among impregnated girls where parents agree locally with the victims to settle the cases.
