This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
June 24, 2020
Kenya's government has disputed alarming reports of teenage pregnancies, claiming the numbers are inflated and do not reflect the actual statistics.
Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Mercy Mwangangi admitted that there was an increase of cases of domestic abuse and teenage pregnancies during the partial lockdown in the past three months.
"Having interrogated the data that has been circulating in the media, the Ministry of Health can authoritatively inform the country that the numbers are exaggerated, outrageous and do not reflect the actual statistics," Dr. Mwangangi said.
She explained that the actual number of pregnant teenagers is approximately a third of the reported cases, citing late presentations of teenage mothers at clinics and the extrapolation of data from antenatal clinic visits.
Dr. Mwangangi emphasized the need for psychosocial support services and protection from Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for sexual and reproductive health needs.
Earlier, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha had dismissed the reported number of teenage pregnancies during the Covid-19 period as obnoxious, questioning the source of the alarming figures.
