Teenage Pregnancies, HIV/AIDS Infections, On The Rise In Homabay County

Teenage Pregnancies, HIV/AIDS Infections, On The Rise In Homabay CountyThe County Government of Homa Bay has urged residents to increase awareness in order to reduce high rates of teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS infection.According to Eliud Onyango, County Director of Disaster Management, gender inequality, difficulties in accessing reproductive health services, and poverty are fueling high rates of teenage pregnancies and HIV infections in Homa Bay, according to research conducted by the Overseas Development Institute.Onyango told KNA that there was a need for community support in raising awareness about teen pregnancy prevention by counseling youths and advising them to avoid illicit sex.“I am calling upon members of the communities around to begin teaching the teens right from the family level because they basically have the solutions to their challenges,” suggested Onyango.The Director stated that they were collaborating closely with the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) and Georgetown University on human-centered design (HCD) in HIV response. He noted that the main perpetrators of teen pregnancy were fishermen and bodaboda riders.County Coordinator of Children’s Services Peter Kutere acknowledged that teen pregnancy is on the rise, with Ndhiwa Sub-County leading the way.He also stated that according to 2020 statistics, Homa Bay County has the second-highest number of teenage pregnancies in the country.“It is unpleasant that in the recent statistics, our county was ranked the second in teenage pregnancy cases which also relates to the new HIV/AIDS infection rates,” said Kutere.He is urging all parties involved in the fight against related cases to work together because issues of teen pregnancy cannot be addressed without mentioning gender-based violence and child neglect.Teenage Pregnancies, HIV/AIDS Infections, On The Rise In Homabay County

Read the full article