Tororo sets up youth corners to fight unsafe abortions

Tororo District has set up youth corners in various health centres in a bid to fight increasing cases of unsafe abortions and teenage pregnancies. 

Officials said the youth corners would increase uptake of sexual reproductive health services by young people. 

The district health officer, Dr Okoth Obbo, said the reason for setting up youth corners is because many adolescents often shy away from seeking health services at health centres. 

“It [youth corners] is a place they can go and freely interact with health workers,” Dr Obbo said. 
Dr Obbo made the remarks during a district engagement organised by Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum at Tororo Town Lodge Hotel in Tororo Town on Monday.

He expressed concern on the continuing rise in teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions cases in the district. 
“The numbers are worrying and this warrants taking of an immediate intervention including creating awareness on dangers of unsafe abortions,” Dr Obbo, said. 

Dr Obbo said the youth should be sensitised to embrace family planning services in order to have manageable families. 
“What we want is to make sure that if I am a girl, I can avoid pregnancy and if I am a boy, how can I avoid becoming a father when I am still young. These are issues which need to be integrated in all government programmes that target the young people,” he said. 

The executive director of Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum, Mr Patrick Mwesigye, said they will support the establishment of youth corners and Young Mothers’ Forum in different health facilities as well as train health workers to administer contraceptives. 

“Many adolsecents are falling victims of unwanted pregnancies and opting for unsafe abortions because they fear to visit health centres,” he said. 

Mr Norman Ofwono, the Tororo District youth chairperson, said the initiative has come at the right time, adding that it will help to save the young generation. 

“They should create more youth corners to help our children access reproductive health information,” Mr Ofwono said. 
He blamed parents for failing to perform their parental responsibility, saying the majority fear speaking to their children about sexual and reproductive health matters. 

Mr Alex Chebet, a comprehensive nurse at Petta health facility, decried the rate at which adolescents are opting for unsafe abortions.

He said on average, they receive five cases of post abortion on a monthly basis. 
“Majority of the girls coming to seek post abortion care services are those who could have conceived with close relatives and fear to carry the pregnancy,” he said. 

The Tororo District Woman MP, Ms Sarah Achieng Opendi, said its detrimental to live in denial that young children are not engaging in early sex. 

“The community should accept reality and enroll sexually active children on contraceptives rather than live in denial,” she said. 

Issue 
Since the first coronavirus-induced lockdown was imposed in March, last year, about 7,449 girls in Tororo between the ages of 10 and 19 have conceived, according to statistics obtained from public health facilities. 

The most affected sub-counties include Osukuru, Mukuju, Kwapa, Mulanda, Nabuyoga, Petta, Magola, Merikit, Iyolwa, Kisoko, Nagongera, and Kirewa.