Teen Pregnancies an emerging crisis in Kakamega County: Blame it on COVID-19.
COVID-19 virus has affected education sector globally resulting to nearly complete closure of schools, colleges and universities. In Kenya including Kakamega County, all learning institutions have been closed down and is estimated that more than three hundred thousand learners are at home. This is almost 30% of the learners in the whole Country. When institution abruptly closes, learners and youths are dispossessed and also chances for growth and development are hampered.
With the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, the disease continues to affect young people especially girls in the following ways; absence of physical contact with the teachers for content delivery and continues counselling, school meals which children from disadvantaged families rely on as well as access to free sanitary pads which sometimes are given by the County government. This is because of the regulations like social distancing that the Ministry of Health has set to curb the spread of the virus.
Though there is an option of digital learning, it is not reliable due to inaccessibility of technology or dependable internet access. This has barred learners from rural community and those from underprivileged families from accessing quality education. Most teens are now idle in the community and have resorted to engaging in transactional sex in order to get sanitary pads and food. The number of teenage pregnancies is rising as days goes by in the County. According to the recent Kenya Health Information Systems (KHIS) survey report, Kakamega County has recorded over 6500 teenage pregnancies between the months of January and June 2020.
In cognisant with this crisis, WE-REACH Organization in conjunction with the Ministry of Health Kakamega County is conducting trainings and sensitization to the girls on Sexual Reproductive Health, Family Planning to curb this upsurge. The Organization has ensured that the teen’s champions are selected to continue with the community education on Sexual Reproductive Health and report on the progress for project sustainability beyond the pandemic.
To ensure that this emerging crisis amid COVID19 pandemic is addressed comprehensively, there is need for governments and health partners to include sexual and reproductive health services in their respective COVID19 response plans so that issues like Teen Pregnancies can be addressed along the pandemic response plans. Health stakeholders at the community also must as well redirect their resources to providing sexual and reproductive health services within this period.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Health at the County level should ensure that restrictions on movement don't limit access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, protection and psychological support services. The Ministries of health and education should also partner with appropriate stakeholders in the community provide sessions for parents on how to address these topics with their children and to respond accurately to some of the half-truths and fallacies around sexuality education.