55,000 Teens Fall Pregnant In A Month In Zimbabwe

At least 55,000 teenage girls fall pregnant in a month and at least 10,000 girls have dropped out of school because of pregnancies. This was revealed in a report presented by Minister Sithembiso Nyoni in parliament recently.

This comes at a time when a lot of girls below the age of 10 are reportedly falling pregnant and dying from birth complications.

Legislators called on the government, to quickly alter the Public Health Act (PHA) to protect girls following the worrying spike in teenage pregnancies countrywide.
Matabeleland North MDC-Alliance Proportional Representative MP, Ruth Labode, called for the PHA Section 35 amendment.

Labode, a medical doctor, said authorities could no longer sit and pretend all is well.

“I am hurt and shocked that the levels of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe have reached epidemic levels, and for us to sit here and pretend there is a social norm or a family core that will deal with that issue is very sad. We have a serious problem at hand. We need to do everything within our power and deal with Section 35 of the Public Health Act.”

She urged the government to face the reality that young people were starting sex early and there was a need to deal with the challenges faced.

“We know that our young women are indulging in sex. Why do we want to pretend that they should not go to health facilities and get that service that can save them? We have to do something.”
The Public Health Act is currently being amended under the Public Health Bill, 2021.