Africa-Press – Uganda. When the Daily Monitor recently ran a story on the high number of teenage pregnancy cases captured at a single health facility in Luweero District, the concern among the leaders and stakeholders was on how to curb the rising numbers and boost the health care service delivery system.
The number of teenagers who conceived and visited Luweero Hospital for antenantal care from June 2020 to June 2021, was half the total number of expectant mothers who visited the facility in the same period.Out of the 3,616 expectant mothers who visited the facility, 1400 were teenagers.The soaring numbers for the teenage girls conceiving and many assuming parental responsibilities poses a great danger to the future generation.A section of MPs from the greater Luweero on Thursday visited health facilities in the district and donated six delivery beds among other assorted medical supplies to boost the healthcare system.The medical supplies worth Shs30 million were mobilized by Ms Brenda Nabukenya (Luweero District Woman MP), Hassan Kirumira (Katikamu South), Denis Ssekabira (Katikamu North) and Robert Ssekitoleko (Bamunanika County).“Our concern is drawn from the recent media reports on the soaring numbers for the teenage pregnancies in Luweero. The scaring figure quoted by the media and later confirmed by authorities was from a single health facility meaning that the number of teenagers getting pregnant is big and a national concern. Our team is trying to complement the government efforts to boost the health service delivery system,” Ms Nabukenya said on Thursday.“We have been visiting the health facilities to assess the service delivery system that remains wanting. Our mobilization is focusing on ensuring a sound health system for our people especially the mothers,” she further noted.Teenage pregnancies come with associated complications that can endanger the lives of the young mothers as most of their bodies are still tender and may not be able to support child bearing.The MPs were accompanied by Ms Barbra Itungo Kyagulanyi, the Executive Director Caring Heart Uganda who also offered counselling services to the more than 100 teenage pregnant girls.Ms Itungo said many of the teenage pregnancies are as a result of teenage excitement while others could have been forced into sexual acts due to the Covid-19 pandemic conditions including the poverty situation.“A big percentage of these girls, if you talk to them, have funny and touching stories regarding their respective pregnancies. We need to help them have a good future. They should be able to go back to school,” Ms Itungo said.“Working as a team to promote the welfare of our children and including the medical supplies offered to Luweero District is a good gesture from our legislators. We need to work as a team to build Luweero and ensure that the service delivery system improves”, Ms Rose Birungi the Luweero RDC.
