Teenage Pregnancy in Narok County has dropped by two per cent this year, thanks to a multi-agency approach of addressing the vice.
The revelation came at a meeting organised by the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) to address the triple threat, that is: Pregnancy, HIV/ sexually transmitted Infections and Gender Based Violence (GBV) among adolescents in Kenya.
A nursing officer Toroitich Sang, who represented the County Director of Health Services, Dr. Francis Kiio said the number of teenage pregnancies last year was 11, 334 compared to 8946 cases that have been reported so far this year.
“Those between the age of 10 to 14 are 614 children, while those between the age of 15-19 are 8332 teenagers,” he said.
In 2021, the number of teenage pregnancies in the county was 13, 593 while 2020 recorded the highest number as 22,760 cases.
“The statistics are taken from the first antenatal clinic attended by the young mothers in our various health facilities across the county. The number could be slightly higher because some mothers choose not to attend the clinic,” he said.
Sang told the meeting that other current emerging issues affecting adolescents and young people are drug and substance abuse, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages and inadequate parental care and guidance.
On his part, Benard Kigen from the NCPD said there is a need for a whole government approach, partnerships, networking, and engaging policymakers to address the triple threat in adults.
He said the triple threat is a national campaign that addresses the challenges contributing to social and economic inequalities and compromises the health of adolescents and young people.
The Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) in 2022 ranked Narok County position four in teenage pregnancy after the county scored 28 percent against the national average of 15 percent. This is a drop from 40 percent the county attained in the year 2014.
By Ann Salaton
