Children Officers in Kisumu County have raised an alarm over the increasing number teenage pregnancies within the county.
The report shows that in the past one month, Kondele location has recorded a total of 20 cases with five active cases currently.
Kondele Location Children’s Department head Joseph Owuor told Ghetto Radio that there is increase in the number of early pregnancy amongst primary and secondary students.
Owuor said that currently his office has five active cases on teenage pregnancies involving primary pupils.
” In this area what I have come to realize is that the rate of teenage pregnancy is on rise because I do receive these cases everyday. For example now, my office has five active cases involving primary pupils,” Owuor said.
Last year, Kenyan Media exploded with a disturbing story that close to 4,000 school girls were impregnated in Kenya during Covid-19 lockdown.
In 2020 Kisumu county recorded 17% of teenage pregnancies in the country.
In April 2021, Kisumu county health and gender officials held a multi sectoral meeting with state officers from Ministry of Interior, Education , the state office of gender and non – state actors to explore initiatives in handling early unintended pregnancies among teenager and youths across Kisumu.
They confirmed that teenage pregnancies have become a major public health problem with lasting repercussions for teenage mothers, their infants and families.
However, Joseph confirmed that so far three perpetrators have been arrests as they locate the remaining suspects.
“So far three perpetrators have been arrested at winam law courts, we are working on the remaining cases. We ensure that justice is done to the young girls,” said Joseph.
He said this new wave is rising because of the negligence of the parent as they tend to very busy.
“All these are happening because of the negligence of parents, some tend to be very busy without caring where their kids are,” he said.
He called on parents to take back their responsibility and he warned that he will ensure that arrest is done.
