Records from the various health centres in the Awutu-Senya District of the Central Region have revealed that over 13% of the 6,555 pregnant women attended to from January to June this year were teenagers.

The District Director of Health Service, Patricia Antwi, who disclosed this to our correspondent in an interview at Awutu Beraku, said the issue of teenage pregnancy has become a source of worry to the Directorate.

The figure, even though less than the previous years, is not the best. Madam Antwi said the District intends to work hard to reduce the prevalence from 13 percent to 10 percent by next year. She therefore called for intensification of campaigns to educate the public, especially the youth, to abstain from premarital sex.

Madam Antwi said plans are underway to open more Adolescent Friendly Centres in the District to educate the youth on reproductive health in order to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy. She also advised parents to ensure that the basic necessities of their children are provided in order not to fall prey to unwanted pregnancy and destroy their future.

Madam Antwi also charged mothers to do away with cultural barriers and give sex education to their children to help reduce the prevalence rate in the district. She attributed the high rate of teenage pregnancy in the country to, ignorance, illiteracy, peer influence and cultural beliefs among other factors. Madam Antwi called for concerted efforts to address the problems confronting youth in the society especially those in the fertility age group.

Source: GBC NEWS