Teenage pregnancy rates have risen across health facilities in Gulu District, with health officials linking the increase to unprotected sex among adolescents.
Records from district health facilities show that 23% to 33% of teenagers seek testing late and report not using protection during intercourse.
During an interview, William Onyayi, the Senior Health Educator for Gulu District, urged parents to provide comprehensive sex education to their children to avoid them being impregnated.
Onyayi also advises parents to limit adolescents’ attendance at cultural dances, funeral gatherings, and other social events, noting these settings have been associated with higher cases of teenage pregnancy.
Anna Florence Anyango, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Gulu District, calls for intensified community sensitization on the dangers of teenage pregnancy.
Kevin Piloya, one of the mothers interviewed, blamed parents for poor parenting.
She says many of them leave their children to stay without parenting guidance, which has led to a high increase in teenage pregnancies.
Teenage pregnancy carries far-reaching consequences, including higher school dropout rates, social stigma, and health risks for young mothers and their children.
Data shows approximately 22.3% of school dropouts among girls aged 14 to 18 in the district are due to pregnancy
By Owen Odong
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