At least one in every five adolescents aged between 15 and 19 engages in unsafe sex and have started bearing children, a government report states.
The report launched by the Ministry of Health on Friday says Kenya’s teen pregnancy rate has not changed, despite a decline in fertility.
Statistics in the Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Policy shows the fertility rate has declined from 8.9 per cent in 1978 to 3.9 in 2017.
Teen pregnancies have been attributed to early marriages, high unmet need for contraception and poor access to family planning services.
Others include gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and low access to education.
“Adolescents are especially vulnerable to sociocultural factors, which in turn affect their physical health well-being,” the report says.
Statistics from the United Nations Population Fund indicate that between June 2016 and July 2017, more than 378,397 adolescents aged between 10 and 19 got pregnant.
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The ministry acknowledges having inadequate data, especially on non-communicable diseases among the age group.
“Except for data related to sexual and reproductive health, there is inadequate information on other critical aspects of adolescent health,” the report says.
HIV-AIDS BRUNT
“There is scarcity of data on leading causes of morbidity and mortality among adolescents, including mental health, drugs and substance abuse, injuries and accidents, and violence.”
Although they are usually seen as healthy due to absence of disease, many adolescents die prematurely from pregnancy related complications and other illnesses, the government says.
The diseases can either be prevented or treated if detected early.
“Many of the serious diseases in adulthood have their roots in adolescence. Substance and drug use and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and poor eating habits, lead to illness and premature death later in life,” the report reads.
The ministry said significant steps have been made in containing the spread of HIV although adolescents continue to bear the brunt.
It is approximated that 29 per cent of all new infections occur in the age group, with only 23.5 per cent knowing their HIV status.
HIV-Aids has been rated the leading cause of death and morbidity among adolescents and young people, with approximately 9,720 dying from the disease in 2014.
The ministry admits that coverage for HIV prevention, care and treatment remains poor. The report was launched ahead of today’s International Children’s Day.
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