The Ministry of Health (MOH) is facing a significant challenge in treating a growing number of teenage moms experiencing complications after childbirth.
Officials revealed at a press conference that 27% of mothers facing delivery complications are teenagers. Many are developing hypertension, while others are increasingly experiencing vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), a condition causing uncontrollable urine leakage.
Dr. Richard Mugahi, the Commissioner for Reproductive and Infant Health, highlighted that VVF can only be corrected through surgery, a service not universally available in the country.
As a result, they have initiated outreach repair programs, although this leaves affected mothers stigmatized for extended periods. Their recent outreach efforts took place in Kitagwenda and Mubende districts, where teenage pregnancy rates are notably high compared to the national average of 24%.
Dr. Mugahi noted that many mothers with VVF couldn’t be operated on due to a shortage of specialists capable of performing such surgeries.
Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Director General of Health Services, expressed concerns over the limited progress in reducing teenage pregnancies, despite extensive awareness campaigns and efforts to keep girls in school.
The goal is to reduce teenage pregnancy rates from 24% to 15% in the next five years, as failing to do so would hinder the country’s progress in maternal health indicators.
Experts are also concerned about the high rate of repeat pregnancies among teenage mothers, which undermines efforts to provide guidance during antenatal care.
A recent study by Makerere University School of Public Health revealed that 3 in 10 girls in school admitted to having sex before turning 18, while the number was much higher at 8 in 10 for out-of-school girls.
Additionally, almost half of teenage mothers acknowledged experiencing a second unwanted pregnancy two years after the first.
Dr. Rachel Beyagira, an official in the Adolescent and School Health Division of the Ministry of Health, emphasized that repeat pregnancies among teenagers are common.
During a recent tour of Eastern Uganda, Dr. Mwebesa noted that girls at health facilities were providing incorrect information about their age, likely out of fear of ridicule.