Katavi launches campaign to end child pregnancies

KATAVI regional authorities have launched a strategy to end childhood pregnancies, sending a strong warning to people involved in impregnating school girls.

Katavi Regional Commissioner Raphael Muhuga said here that he had issued this warning following statistics showing that his region was the worst in making mothers out of school girls, with 45 in every 100 girls getting pregnant, according to a study on Parental and Child Health Research for 2015-2016.

“The strategy has been launched by the NGO Tanzania Communication and Development (TCDC) during celebrations of the National Child Day International. The survey reveals that 45 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 in the area were getting kids, and that at least 33.3 percent had a living baby and 11.8 percent were pregnant during the study.

The statistics show that the Katavi region is one of the country’s region with highest levels of childhood pregnancy for over the past five years, from 2012-2016 in which a total of 258 primary and secondary school students have dropped from school due to pregnancy “Emphasized Muhuga.

In addition, the statistics show that 494 pupils out of 14,127 registered for standard seven final examinations did not sit for their examinations, 220 of the girls cited as being pregnant – and that another 123 secondary school students out of 6,284 registered between 2014 and 2016 did not sit for their exams due to various reasons including pregnancy, added Muhuga.

TCDC official Nazir Yusuph has revealed that they have noticed the cause for the region to have highest number of childhood pregnancy and that is why they have launched the strategy and in order for them to succeed, the will work together with the office of the Regional Commissioner and all the municipals within the region.

According to Yusuph, the organizations will emphasis on improving family planning services within all dispensaries and health centers within the region. Speaking at the same function, Mpanda District Commissioner Lillian Matinga said it’s good for all the stakeholders to come out and partner on fighting for the childhood pregnancy in the area as it is a fact that it has become one of the biggest challenges in Katavi region.

Mpanda Mayor Willy Mbogo said that the problem of childhood pregnancy within Mpanda District is in Kakese and Mwamkulu ward due to existence of traditional beliefs.

A student of Nsimbo Secondary School Julian John has said that childhood pregnancy is being caused due to poverty within house hold level and also due to lack of education within the society.

The International Day of the Female Child was officially adopted by the United Nations in December 2011. The aim of this day is to educate and encourage the community to recognize the importance of focusing on the rights of a Girl child and to provide solutions to the various challenges facing her.