Trans Nzoia County Governors’ wife, Mrs. Lilian Natembeya, has made a passionate appeal to stakeholders to help address the problem of teenage pregnancies and associated challenges in the region.
Mrs. Natembeya made the appeal at Binti Care Foundation in Maridadi village in Kwanza Sub-county where she engaged with young mothers in a forum to address teenage pregnancy on Sunday.
Addressing the young mothers, Mrs. Natembeya outlined the forum’s objective as an opportunity to engage and get to understand the challenges faced by them.
“This would enable the County government as well as relevant stakeholders to come-up with a raft of measures aimed at tackling the same,” stated Mrs. Natembeya, also referred to as Mama County.
She assured county residents that her office will strive towards improvement of the lives of mothers and children in the County.
Mama County urged health workers in the County to take the lead in coordination of all government programmes and projects on reproductive, maternal, children and adolescent health.
Decrying the surge in abortion cases among teenagers, Mrs. Natembea hinted at plans by the county government to allocate adequate resources as well as recruitment of midwives to uplift maternal health care, particularly in rural areas.
“I am passionately calling upon parents and guardians to come out and work closely with health workers and stakeholders in the fight against teen pregnancies and early marriages,” urged Mrs. Natembeya who blamed the same for increasing cases of school dropouts in the County.
She called upon concerned stakeholders and well-wishers to buttress the devolved unit’s efforts in the war against teen pregnancies and marriages.
She used the occasion and donated to the young mothers some goodies, including shoes, handbags, reusable sanitary towels and baby toys.
The Binti Care Foundation Programmes Manager, Mr. Stanley Siakilo, advised parents against abdication of parental responsibilities, citing the same as the leading cause of the teenage pregnancies in the region.
He expressed the home’s gratitude toward Mrs. Natembeya’s visit and philanthropic gesture.
By Maurice Aluda
