Editorial (The Daily Searchlight, November 12, 2021).
It has been reported that there has been 2,189 Teenage pregnancies in Wenchi Town in the 4 years preceding this publication. +
The Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate in the Bono region has revealed that a total of 2,189 teenage pregnancies have been recorded in the municipality between 2018 and 2021.
According to the Directorate, though the year 2021 has not come to an end but a total of 388 pregnancies have been recorded.
Wenchi Municipal Health Director, Dr. Robert Kwaku Bio in an interview with Radio West Africa’s, Nana Anfreh Damanta disclosed that 96 teenagers between ages 10 to 14 got pregnant while some 2,093 between ages 15 to 19 got pregnant in the said period.
Dr. Bio indicated that 41 teenagers between ages 10 to 14 got pregnant in 2018, it decrease to 11 in 2019, increase to 22 in 2020 and the figure still remains 22 as at the end of September 2021.
He added that in 2018 a total of 539 pregnancies were recorded between ages 15 to 19, it increase to 573 in 2019, 593 in 2020 and a total of 388 have been recorded as at the end of September, 2021.
Dr. Bio attributed the situation to peer influence and lack of parental control.
“Ghana Health Service was doing everything possible to sensitize the youth about negative effect of teenage pregnancy.”
He therefore appealed to the traditional authorities and the Wenchi Municipal Assembly to enact laws to fight the menace.
The Daily Searchlight is of the firm belief that one other way to stem the practice, is to educate the children about sex and safe sexual practices.
We believe that improved sexual education in schools, as well as safe sexual practices, particularly on condoms, would go a long way to stem the tide of teenage pregnancies.
Even though some people may oppose the suggestion of ‘moral’ or ‘religious’ grounds, it is the best and most practical solution to the problem. Whether we like it or not, the children are engaging in sex. If we intend to prevent unwanted pregnancies, the solution is in protecting the young women during sex.
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