Over 3000 teenage girls have fallen pregnant in Kilifi County between January and May 2020, 75 of them aged between 10 and 14 years old according to latest adolescent pregnancy report at Kilifi County Hospital.
In the report 3,376 teenage girls in the county have become pregnant during the period recording among the highest in Kenya with a prevalence rate of 28.9%.
In 2019, 9480 cases of teenage pregnancies were reported in the County at the hospital with 136 cases of girls aged between 10 and 14 years.
Among the sub counties recording highest numbers in the recent times are Kilifi North with 713, Magarini with 658 and Kilifi South with 583 pregnancies respectively. Others are Ganze and Kaloleni with 408 each, Malindi with 391 and Rabai with182.
Speaking during County Hygiene Implementation Committee meeting at the AP Church on Wednesday, Kilifi North Deputy County commissioner Josphat Mutisya who represented area County commissioner warned that chiefs and their assistants whose areas of jurisdiction occur pregnancies will be held responsible.
Mutisya said the presidential directive issued recently requires all chiefs to submit to their respective county commissioners some weekly reports on cases of girls falling pregnant within their areas and actions taken.
“Warning is hereby given to those chiefs who have been handling pregnancy cases in kangaroo courts that severe action will be taken against those involved in the practice. All cases of children must be taken to courts of laws for fare hearings,” he said.
In 2018, the County recorded the highest numbers of teenage pregnancies after area Anti Natal Care clinics recorded more than 11, 000 cases and rated a 30.2%.
By Harrison Yeri
