Prime
Protect children during holidays
What you need to know:
The issue: Sex education
Our view: While the debate on giving children,especially teenagers, access to contraceptives rages on, there is a need to emphasise sex education both at school and at home.
Schools have closed and the students are back home. In the schools, they have controlled and monitored programs and they are always busy. However, back in our homes, they may not be as busy as they were in schools and may be exposed to many dangers.
As you prepare to engage them at home as a parent, think about this: In Uganda’s 10 cities and 17 districts, there has been a reported increase in teenage pregnancies and related deaths. The 10 cities and the districts are reported to have the highest rates of maternal death among teenagers, according to the policy and strategic direction against teenage pregnancy report for 2024 compiled by the Ministry of Health.
Each of the cities and districts lost more than 90 teenagers in the 2022/2023 Financial Year, showing a grim picture of teenage pregnancies.
In the same report, the number of teenagers below 19 years who died increased from 122 per 100,000 to 152 per 100,000, a 10 percent increase.
The report indicates that many are dying due to complications related to unsafe abortions, showing that last year, about 7,000 girls sought abortion in different places.
Given that many children at 19 are still in school specifically in secondary schools, it shows the children are not safe. They are already sexually active but are also seeking abortion in different places, including clinics and friends where rudimentary methods are used, ending in death or permanent difficulties.
While the debate on giving children, especially teenagers, access to contraceptives rages on, there is a need to emphasise sex education both at school and at home. The best people to do sex education are the parents because in the report, some of the culprits of teenage pregnancies are the teachers, and therefore, many may not be suited for such kind of engagement with our young girls.
Such a grim picture could be catastrophic in the years to come and could undermine the strides made in the fight against HIV/Aids.
The police should do their work for many of these teenagers are defiled, while health workers and health facilities should assist the teenagers when they seek help. That way, they will get professional and safe help than opting for rudimentary methods.
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