Uganda’s teenage pregnancy crisis stagnates at 25%

What the report says

Health experts in Uganda are urging a coordinated national response to teenage pregnancy after new reporting showed the problem has remained largely unchanged for more than 20 years, hovering between 24% and 25%. The Independent Uganda reported that the concerns were raised in Kampala at a Media Café organized by the Health Journalists Network Uganda with support from Palladium and BBC Media Action.

Officials from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Gender and Social Development said the issue is affecting girls’ schooling, increasing health risks and contributing to wider social and economic costs. Dr Irene Mwenyango of the Ministry of Health said the challenge cannot be solved by health authorities alone and needs the involvement of families, schools, communities and government agencies. She also pointed to the need for family planning after childbirth and for teenage mothers to return to school where possible.

The report said Uganda has a national target of reducing teenage pregnancy to 15% by 2030 under the National Strategy to End Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage. Francis Mondo Kyateeka linked the problem to school dropout rates and noted that girls’ vulnerability to HIV can rise alongside early pregnancy. He also said the government is reviewing the National Employment Policy of 2006 to support reintegration after childbirth.

The article added that the burden is not evenly spread, with higher prevalence in some regions and refugee-hosting areas than in Kampala or parts of the southwest. The figures underline why public health, education and social policy responses remain central to reducing early pregnancy and supporting adolescent girls.