KATAVI regional authorities have launched a strategy to end childhood pregnancies, sending a strong warning to people involved in impregnating school girls.
Katavi Regional Commissioner Raphael
Muhuga said here that he had issued this warning following statistics
showing that his region was the worst in making mothers out of school
girls, with 45 in every 100 girls getting pregnant, according to a study
on Parental and Child Health Research for 2015-2016.
“The strategy has been launched by the
NGO Tanzania Communication and Development (TCDC) during celebrations of
the National Child Day International. The survey reveals that 45 per
cent of girls aged 15 to 19 in the area were getting kids, and that at
least 33.3 percent had a living baby and 11.8 percent were pregnant
during the study.
The statistics show that the Katavi
region is one of the country’s region with highest levels of childhood
pregnancy for over the past five years, from 2012-2016 in which a total
of 258 primary and secondary school students have dropped from school
due to pregnancy “Emphasized Muhuga.
In addition, the statistics show that
494 pupils out of 14,127 registered for standard seven final
examinations did not sit for their examinations, 220 of the girls cited
as being pregnant – and that another 123 secondary school students out
of 6,284 registered between 2014 and 2016 did not sit for their exams
due to various reasons including pregnancy, added Muhuga.
TCDC official Nazir Yusuph has revealed
that they have noticed the cause for the region to have highest number
of childhood pregnancy and that is why they have launched the strategy
and in order for them to succeed, the will work together with the office
of the Regional Commissioner and all the municipals within the region.
According to Yusuph, the organizations
will emphasis on improving family planning services within all
dispensaries and health centers within the region. Speaking at the same
function, Mpanda District Commissioner Lillian Matinga said it’s good
for all the stakeholders to come out and partner on fighting for the
childhood pregnancy in the area as it is a fact that it has become one
of the biggest challenges in Katavi region.
Mpanda Mayor Willy Mbogo said that the
problem of childhood pregnancy within Mpanda District is in Kakese and
Mwamkulu ward due to existence of traditional beliefs.
A student of Nsimbo Secondary School
Julian John has said that childhood pregnancy is being caused due to
poverty within house hold level and also due to lack of education within
the society.
The International Day of the Female
Child was officially adopted by the United Nations in December 2011. The
aim of this day is to educate and encourage the community to recognize
the importance of focusing on the rights of a Girl child and to provide
solutions to the various challenges facing her.
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