By Flavia Ajok
Authorities in Labongo Sub County in Masindi district are concerned over the rate at which children below the age of 18 are being impregnated.
According to statistics obtained at Kilanyi Health Centre II, from July to December last year, 78 children under the age of 18 delivered at the health facility, while from January to September this year, so far 85 children have given birth at the same health facility.
Winnie Ataari, the midwife at Kilanyi Health Centre II, stresses that she attends to teenage mothers as young as 14 years old, and some of them don’t report for antenatal due to stigma, which results in giving birth in the hands of traditional birth attendants.
Ataari asks teenage mothers to always seek antenatal services and delivery from health centers. She also asked the district authorities to provide for them a delivery bed since they lack one, asserting that apparently, they are using an examination bed.
James Balikurungi, the LC3 Chairperson for Labongo Sub County, attributes poor parenting, early school dropouts, and night discos in the sub county to shocking teenage cases.
He says they are planning to carry out an operation and arrest children who are not in schools since they are registering high cases of school dropout and teenage pregnancies in the area.
In order to support the teenage mothers, Safe Path Mothers Foundation, a community-based organization in Masindi, on Wednesday donated mama kits to 42 mothers at Kilanyi Health Centre II.
Sherifah Nabuule, the organization founder, says that out of 42 pregnant mothers who received the mama kits, 21 were teenage mothers below the age of 18.
She asserts that though they support and empower teenage mothers; there is a need for the parents to guide, counsel, and keep their children in school.
Teenage mothers who spoke to our reporter commended the organization and said the mama kits will help them during the delivery time since they are lacking.
