Tongu Council of Chiefs call for joint forces to combat teenage pregnancy in South Tongu district

Stakeholders in the South Tongu district of the Volta region are worried about the surge in teenage pregnancy in the area.

They are, therefore, calling for regional and national collaboration to tackle the menace.

According to the South Tongu directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), 128 girls aged 10-19 became pregnant, amounting to 14.3 percent in the year 2021.

In 2022, the cases slightly declined to 100 girls, representing 12 percent, but in 2023, the number sharply climbed to 120, equivalent to 13.5 percent.

At the end of the first quarter of 2024, a 15.6 percent rate of teenage girl pregnancies was recorded. The statistics were revealed by the district health on Thursday, June 6, 2024, during a stakeholders' meeting between the Tongu Council of Chiefs and the Security Agencies in the Tongu enclave.

Rachelle Elikem Zewu, a Public Health Nurse in the District who disclosed the statistics at the meeting, attributed the cases to "high incidence of unprotected sexual activities, socioeconomic hardships, and rural-urban migration."

She added "The situation is further compounded by the prevalence of substance abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, and lack of adolescent-friendly services in communities and schools in South Tongu."

She revealed that the consequences of teenage pregnancy in the district are severe, with many of the girls facing eclampsia, premature births, difficult labor, depression, and sexually transmitted diseases.

The nurse said, "This menace not only harms the young girls but also leads to school dropouts, thereby crippling their future prospects."

Mavis Agumeh, the District Health Director, in an interview with the media after the meeting, said that her outfit is working hard to quench the menace. However, she would continue to intensify adolescent health education in the district.

She reiterated the need for parents to provide sexual orientation to their children at home.

Zikpitorga Awuku Doe Atakli, the Paramount Stool Father of the Fievie Traditional Area, pledged on behalf of the Tongu Council of Chiefs to collaborate with the Ghana Health Service in combating the escalating menace.

Zikpitorga Awuku stressed the importance of collective effort in addressing the problem and ensuring the future well-being of the children.

He urged all relevant stakeholders and corporate Ghana for a united front to tackle the root causes of teenage girl pregnancy in the district.

The traditional leader made a fervent call on parents in the area to join forces in providing adolescent-friendly services, education, and support to every girl child.