Upper West records 3,474 teenage pregnancies in 2016

The Upper West region alone recorded a total of 3,474 teenage pregnancies in 2016 according to a study conducted by Social Initiative for Literacy Development Programme (SILDEP).

Out of this figure, about 305 were reported to have come from the Sissala East district a situation stakeholders have bemoaned calling for urgent steps to reverse this negative trend.

At a stakeholders forum, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization Moses Luri further revealed that 9 out of ten girls who become pregnant tried causing abortion using unsafe methods which is alarming resulting in the high reported cases of maternal deaths in the region.

“According to our study last year, 9 out of ten girls who become pregnant tried causing abortion using unsafe methods which is alarming. In the Upper West region 3,474 teenagers were found to be pregnant in 2016 out of which 305 were recorded to have come from the Sissala East District.

The Girls Advocacy Alliance project by SILDEP being implemented in collaboration with PLAN GHANA is meant to sensitize girls and other stakeholders to become conscious of the rights of girls”, he hinted.

The District Director of Health director Mr Alex Bapula on his part said the situation is disheartening and appealed to stakeholders to partner government in reversing the negative trend.

”I think that it is demoralizing. It is unacceptable and It doesn’t speak well of the Sissaal that we have to impregnate children between (10) ten and seventeen (17) years.

He said the victims mostly visited health facilities in some seeking to cause abortion.

The situation according to Alex Bapula makes it difficult for him to sit through meetings outside the district where Sissala East is always pointed out for examples of high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancies.

“This puts all of us in a bad light” the director observed.

He called for a possible enactment of bylaws to punish perpetrators whilst adding” It is very bad to be bonking young girls”.