Leaders in the Kigezi highland’s Kabale district are worried of the many cases of teenage pregnancy which are on rise.
According to the district senior peribation officer Monica Muhumuza Nzeirwe, Kabale district has in a period of one year (since March last year) recorded over 1267 cases of teenage pregnancies at various health centres in the district.
Nzeirwe noted that in the last two months alone, 600 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded.
She said the covid-19 pandemic has become a risk factor to premarital sex and teenage pregnancies thus adding to girls not to go to school.
Dspite the many laws and policies in place, Uganda continues experiencing significant sexual and reproductive health challenges such as high cases of teenage pregnancy and early marriages in schools.
Many ugandans have blamed the rise in numbers on poor implementation of the laws and policies
In Uganda,10 per cent of girls are married before 15 years while 40 per cent are married by the age of 18.
According t the UNICEF statistics (205/25l), Uganda is ranked 18th worldwide in regard to child marriage.
