SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF TECHNICAL SERVICES KENNEDY LISHIMPI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS OF THE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES STUDY IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF ZAMBIA.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with a sense of duty and pleasure that I am here today to address the dissemination of study findings from the study that was conducted in eastern and southern province of Zambia. The Department of Public health and Research at the Ministry of Health, supported by partners, Clinton Health Access Initiative and Family Health and Nutrition conducted a study to determine factors contributing to one of the public
health concerns-teenage pregnancies. This occasion, therefore, is an important platform for us to discuss this critical issue that affect the health of not only our adolescents and their children, but also the overall wellbeing of communities around us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Adolescent pregnancy is a global problem of social and public health concern. An estimated 21 million adolescent girls in developing regions become pregnant annually with approximately 12 million of these giving birth. The prevalence of adolescent pregnancy, especially among older adolescents remains high in Africa, with some studies estimating as high as 18.8% among adolescents aged 15–19 in Africa and 19.3% in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Whilst these statistics are considered high globally, Zambia remains one of the countries with a significantly high prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Sub-Saharan countries with a stagnant rate that declined slightly from 31.6% in 1992 to 29.2% in 2018. By the end of 2023, the Health Management Information System still recorded teenage pregnancy rate of 29%.
Ladies and gentlemen
In order to address the high incidence of teenage pregnancies in the country, whose contributing factors vary from place to place, my Ministry embarked on a study to determine the social demographic characteristics contributing significantly to this sustained high rate of teenage pregnancies. The study was conducted in sixty-five (65) and sixty-nine (69) public health facilities in Eastern and Southern province respectively. This study was timely as it brought out key issues and evidence upon which we will develop targeted interventions using a multi-sectoral approach. Hence, may I once again welcome you all and thank you for making it to this meeting. We are looking forward to making resolutions that will aim at reducing teenage pregnancies, and commit to addressing some of the key contributing factors such as child marriages.
Ladies and gentlemen
I am aware that my Ministry, working closely with you all as actors and champions against this growing problem have over the years worked tirelessly to address this problem. Some of the key interventions include providing adolescent -friendly spaces at health facilities, providing family planning services, capacity building of Life Skills and Health Education for in and out of school adolescents and young people, and several other interventions detailed in our policy documents such as the National Adolescent Health Strategic Plan 2022-2026. Additionally, the Reduce Adolescent Pregnancies campaign and several community engagements such as indabas, have been held with chiefs and traditional leaders to sensitize them on the health risks of pregnancy to adolescent mothers, apart from the social-economic challenges that come with it. Engagements with adolescents themselves have been conducted to provide health literacy to adolescents on the effects of adolescent pregnancies on their health, education and future plans.
However, it is sad to mention that this has come with minimal reduction over the past three decades. But with tangible results and renewed energy, and determination, I am hopeful that we shall utilize such results from studies like the one we are disseminating today to develop recommendations and interventions that address the root causes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Zambia is currently faced with a number of pressing health challenges that disproportionately affect our young population, issues like HIV, mental health, substance abuse, child marriages and sexual reproductive health among many others. New challenges, posed by public health threats such as the covid-19 pandemic and cholera, including effects of climate change such as the current droughts, all have negative impact on sexual reproductive health services for adolescents and young people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we seat to listen to the findings of the study, I urge and implore all of you, to critically think about the negative impact this issue has on the health of our young girls and our communities at large, and discuss ways which can help mitigate the problem at hand. The recommendations that will be developed upon dissemination of the findings will help conduct similar studies in the remaining eight provinces, so that policy makers can use this information to address the teenage pregnancies country wide.
Ladies and gentlemen
As I conclude, I would like to sincerely thank the embassy of Sweden in Zambia, and the United States Agency for International Development for providing financial and technical support towards conducting this study. I would also wish to thank Clinton Health Access Initiative and for providing the needed support to the Ministry of Health, both at national and sub-national levels where the study was conducted.
It is now my singular honor and privilege to declare the dissemination meeting of the teenage pregnancy study findings conducted in Eastern and Southern province officially opened!
I THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!