This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
On June 23, 2020, the Ministry of Health refuted reports of a surge in teenage pregnancies, stating that the numbers were exaggerated and did not reflect the actual statistics.
Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Mercy Mwangangi said that the reported numbers were 'outrageous' and did not accurately represent the situation on the ground.
According to Dr Mwangangi, the actual number of pregnant teenagers is approximately a third of the reported cases.
The discrepancy in numbers was attributed to teenage mothers presenting late to the clinic, when the pregnancy is advanced, and the data being extrapolated from the number of antenatal clinic visits, which did not represent the numeric count of teenagers presenting to the clinic.
Dr Mwangangi emphasized the need for psychosocial support services and protection from Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for sexual and reproductive health needs.
She noted the increase of domestic violence, teenage pregnancies, and child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic period and called for the protection of women and children from any form of violence and abuse.
These comments come after a national debate arose due to the surge of teenage pregnancies reported in Machakos County and the rest of the country.
Investigations into rising cases of teenage pregnancies and child abuse have been launched by the Government, with a multi-agency team constituted to investigate the cases and bring perpetrators to book.
