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Shock of 17 pregnant Grade 6 candidates at Maua hospital
Nyambene Level Four Hospital in Igembe South, Meru County where 17 teen mothers sat their KPSEA exams.
Seventeen candidates undertook their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), which ended on Wednesday at Nyambene Level Five Hospital in Meru County, where they gave birth.
The high number of Grade 6 teenage mothers has jolted stakeholders, even as Meru continues to rank among the leading counties with high teenage pregnancy rates and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
According to Nyambene Level Four Hospital Medical Superintendent Githu Wachira, 49 percent of mothers who delivered at the facility in September are teenagers.
Teen mothers under the age of 17 accounted for 70 percent of all delivery complications recorded at the hospital during the same period.
Dr Wachira said there was a need for concerted efforts among all stakeholders, particularly parents, religious leaders, teachers, health workers and administrators to minimise teen pregnancies.
He spoke at the hospital during a teen mothers' clinic meant to monitor progress and provide psychosocial support to the young mothers and their children.
"It is a big crisis for the community to have such a high number of teen mothers. We have mothers as young as 12 years. This comes with medical and social challenges such as birth complications and stigma. We are working with other stakeholders to support them in their motherhood. We also seek to guide them on how to achieve their dreams," Dr Wachira said.
The Young Mothers Support programme is meant to guide the teenagers through education, mentorship, and counselling sessions.
"This is intended to improve their well-being and parenting skills. We also endeavor to prevent recurrence of teen motherhood because some teenagers have up to three children, increasing their social and health risks," he said.
According to Meru County health department data, teen mothers account for 24 percent of all hospital deliveries.
In Meru County, 31,785 candidates are registered for the KPSEA, while Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment has 29,744 candidates and 31,620 for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
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