This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On June 18, 2020, the Kenyan Government announced an investigation into a report detailing a significant number of teen pregnancies since schools were closed in March due to COVID-19 concerns.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha expressed skepticism about the figures, suggesting they might be exaggerated. He called for a closer examination of the data, questioning the accuracy of the reported pregnancies and the sources of the information.
Magoha also emphasized the need for tougher action against individuals who sexually assault girls and urged parents to take a more active role in guiding their children morally.
Acting Director of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth echoed Magoha's sentiments, stating that the Ministry's Reproductive Health Division was studying the data before issuing a formal response.
Amoth pointed out that many mothers who come in for ante-natal services are in their third trimester, making it unlikely that the reported pregnancies occurred as early as March. He also referenced the 2019 Demographic Health Survey, which reported 400,000 teenage pregnancies annually, suggesting that a single county's report of 4,000 pregnancies was not implausible.
