Isingiro turns to community workers to curb early child pregnancies

Isingiro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Health officials in Isingiro district have turned to community workers to address cases of child pregnancies during the closure of schools.

In June, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced fresh restrictions as part of the measures to control the COVID-19 transmissions in the country in the face of the second wave of the pandemic.

Among the fresh restrictions, the president directed closure of all educational institutions across the country.

Dr Edson Tumusherure, the District Health Officer says that the social workers will voluntarily sensitize the members of the community especially parents about the dangers of teenage pregnancy.

Dr Tumusherure says that there is need to end early child marriages and teenage pregnancies to stop cases of obstetric fistula.

According to Tumusherure, they have registered over 60 cases of fistula among teenage girls.

Clemmy Kajungu, the Maternal Child Health focal person in Isingiro district says from January to June 2020, a total of 4,073 girls aged 15-19 years attended antenatal clinics or gave birth from different health centres across the district.

According to Kajungu, out of the 23 town councils and sub counties, Kashumba sub county registered the highest number of teenage pregnancies with 428 cases followed by Kabuyanda town council with 141, Endiizi sub county with 115, and Kakamba sub county with 68.

Agnes Asiimire, one of the community workers attributes the high number of teenage pregnancies to Covid-19 lockdown, poor parenting, poverty, and peer pressure.

Carol Owashaba, a girl child activist with Action For Youth Development Uganda says that girls need to be given enough information on sexual reproduction and empowered to know their rights.

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