By Onishias Maambain Chipata
Over 4,000 girls below the age of 20 last year fell pregnant in Lundazi.
District Health Director (DHD), Davy Zulu said a total of 4,124 adolescent girls accessed antenatal care services between January and December in the 52 health facilities in the district.
See related: Chadiza teen pregnancies depressing-DC
55 girls become pregnant per day in Chipata-DC
Dr Zulu said this in Chipata this morning that the number includes both in and out of school adolescents.
He said Lundazi urban clinic recorded the highest adolescent pregnancies with 256 seconded by Mwase Lundazi zonal health centre with 205 cases.
He indicated that the district recorded 16 maternal deaths which he said reduced from the 27 that were recorded in 2017.
“The district intended to reduce maternal deaths from 27 to 15 but only managed to reduce to 16. Excessive bleeding has continued to be the major cause of pregnancy related deaths in the district. The 16, four died due to hemorrhage.
“We want to reduce maternal deaths to a single digit this year. The Ministry of Health will strengthen youth friendly activities, carryout sensitization programmes in schools and in clinics and partner with chiefs and traditional healers to sensitize communities on maternal health related issues,” he said.
He said sensitizations programs on radio on the dangers of teenage pregnancies and organization of an Indaba with the chiefs in the district to discuss safe motherhood and mentorship to staff on management of labour are currently being carried out/ZANIS/TIOZAMBIA.
