- The subcounty registered 517 teenage pregnancies between January and May this year
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Butula subcounty in Busia has the highest number of pregnant teenagers compared to other constituencies because there are fewer programmes directed at protecting the rights of children.
Busia has seven subcounties including Butula, Bunyala, Samia, Matayos, Nambale, Teso South and Teso North.
Data from the Busia Teaching and Referral Hospital shows Butula recorded a rise in the number of adolescent pregnancies between January and May this year compared to a similar period in 2019.
Between January and May this year, Butula recorded 517 pregnancy cases among adolescents. In 2019, there were 310 such cases in the area.
County Children’s Officer Esther Wasige attributed the rising number of teen pregnancies in Butula to limited access to programmes directed at protecting children rights.
“In Butula, there are very few programmes that target children development, unlike other sub-counties,” Wasige said.
“All our programmes are happening in the other six sub-counties apart from Butula.”
She said Butula has no children’s office which can be used to coordinate programmes that enlighten the importance of girls’ education. This, she said, would play a key role in reducing the rising pregnancy cases.
Despite the rise in the number of adolescent pregnancies in Butula, Busia generally recorded a decline in the number of teenage pregnancies between January and May 2020 compared to a similar period last year.
The county registered a total of 2,550 teenage pregnancies. This represents a reduction by 494 cases from last year's 3,044.
The other subcounty which had a slightly higher number of teenage pregnancies in 2020 is Matayos where 448 adolescent girls were impregnated. Teso North had 441 cases. Nambale had the fourth highest number of cases at 364, Teso South (340), Samia (252) and Bunyala 188.
All subcounties, except Butula, had a decline in such incidents.
The cases declined in Bunyala by 88 between 2019 and 2020 from 276 to 188 while those in Matayos slumped by 401 from 849 in 2019 to 448 in 2020.
Nambale cases decreased by 75 from 439 to 364 while those in Samia dropped by 48 to 252 in 2020 from 439 the previous year.
In Teso North, the cases dropped by 86 from 527 in 2019 to 441 in 2020 within the five months while Teso South registered a dismal decline with cases dropping from 343 in 2019 to 340 in 2020.
Wasige said the closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic will expose schoolgirls to more risk especially those living in or near Malaba and Busia border towns.
She said child prostitution may rise.
“Children are now in the hands of parents who are their first custodians. They (parents) should be at the forefront fighting for their children's rights.”
Edited by P.O