By Masato Masato
TANZANIA Media
Women's Association, Zanzibar (TAMWA ZNZ) has asked all Zanzibaris to
campaign against childhood pregnancies, which subject teenagers to
untold physical and psychological suffering.
TAMWA ZNZ Director
Dr Mzuri Issa said here over the weekend that the problem can be
addressed through joint efforts by community members, including
religious leaders, politicians and gender activists.
She said her
organisation has received shocking reports about a girl of under 15-year
old being raped, impregnated and dying during delivery.
The girl, according
to her parent, died in Pemba North region's Wete District on June 25,
2020. TAMWA ZNZ has conducted a survey on the effects of child
pregnancies, establishing many problems like physical and psychological
trauma as well as deaths.
Health Expert with
Mnazi Mmoja Hospital's maternity unit Dr Kamilia Ali Omar said child
pregnancies could lead to fistulas, cervical cancer and other diseases
that occur due to immature organs in the body of young girls.
"Giving birth under
the age of 18 is life-threatening for both the mother and her baby
because her pelvic is not mature enough to push the baby, it therefore
puts the parent at risk of getting fistula or dying," Dr Kamilia said,
recommending first birth at the age of at least 20 years.
A psychologist from
Zanzibar School of Health, Ms Asya Saleh Abdullatif, said child
pregnancies lead to mental congestion that can lead to unnecessary
fainting or mental illness.
Ms Asya further
said that child pregnancies lead to frequent outbursts where the carrier
may commit a terrible mistake against her or someone else which could
cause harm.
TAMWA ZNZ has
identified four factors that lead to child pregnancies-rape, forced
marriage, child marriage and sexual inducement.
Zanzibar's
Education and Vocational Training Ministry has reported 88 cases of
child pregnancies and 50 child marriages in the past three years.
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