This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
Published on July 13, 2020, a report by the Ministry of Health has shed light on the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in Kenya.
According to the report, approximately 948 schoolgirls get pregnant every day, with one in every 10 adolescent girls either pregnant or having started the childbearing process.
Furthermore, the Demographic Health Information System, an online data platform launched by the Ministry of Health, reveals that 13,000 girls drop out of school due to pregnancy every year.
Additionally, the report states that over 400,000 teenagers between the ages of 10 and 19 get pregnant annually.
“Some 378,687 adolescents between 15-19 years and 20,444 adolescents between 10-14 years presented with pregnancies in health facilities in 2019,” reads the report.
Another report released by the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD) in 2018 found that one in five girls aged between 15-19 years in Kenya is either pregnant or has already given birth.
The Kenya National Aids Council reported that 430,825 teens aged between 10-19 years attended at least one antenatal clinic session in a public health facility.
Kilifi and Homa Bay counties have been identified as the hotspots, with 32,583 cases reported in 2019.
Experts have expressed concerns about emerging hotspots like Nairobi, Bungoma, Nakuru, and Kakamega counties.
Patricia Wasuna, AMREF Digital Communications Officer, emphasized the importance of a community-based approach to addressing the issue.
“Research has shown us that sex education has the most impact when school-based programs are complemented with the involvement of parents and teachers, religious leaders, training institutes, and youth-friendly services through a community-based approach,” said Wasuna.
