By : Our Reporter

Local leaders in Nebbi District have raised concern over rising cases of teenage pregnancies, warning that the trend threatens girls’ education, health and future opportunities.

PROTECT Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) project report placed the teenage pregnancy rate  at 22.1 percent during a period  between July 2025 and July 2026.

The figures were highlighted during a meeting in Nebbi Municipality where district leaders and stakeholders reviewed the implementation of the PROTECT SRHR project between July 2025 and July 2026.

According to the report, 64.8 percent of expectant mothers missed antenatal care during the first trimester, while 594 new HIV infections and eight institutional maternal deaths were recorded.

The district Vice LCV Chairperson, Geofrey Anecho, said addressing teenage pregnancies requires fundamental changes in men’s attitudes and behaviour towards adolescent girls.

Local leaders say teenage pregnancies often force girls to abandon school, exposing them to social stigma, serious health risks and adult responsibilities for which many are not adequately prepared.

Vincent Orach Ocaya, the Executive Director of the Alur Kingdom, warned that the community’s future was at risk if child marriage and teenage pregnancies continued to rise. He called for greater efforts to protect young girls and address the factors contributing to the problem.

Health minister  urges leaders to strengthen community interventions

The State Minister for Health in charge of Primary Health Care, Dr Charles Ayume,  urged leaders in West Nile to incorporate traditional justice mechanisms into efforts to address sexual and reproductive health challenges.

Ayume said community-led interventions, when guided by health and legal standards, could help reduce stigma and encourage victims to seek medical treatment and counselling.

He made the remarks  during a meeting in Nebbi Municipality where district leaders and stakeholders reviewed the implementation of the PROTECT SRHR project between July 2025 and July 2026. noting that teenage pregnancies, defilement and early marriages remained prevalent across the region, while many victims did not report their cases to health facilities or the police.

The minister expressed concern that some cases were quietly settled within communities without victims receiving appropriate medical care or legal redress.

He called on project implementers to identify and train members of traditional institutions to support community awareness, encourage victims to seek medical treatment and counselling, and strengthen referral systems to formal justice institutions.

Poverty cited among factors contributing to teenage pregnancies

PROTECT SRHR Team Leader Herbert Mugumya  noted that many of the challenges originated at household and community level, making community-based interventions essential to addressing them.

Nebbi Resident District Commissioner Robert Abak said pregnancies involving girls below the age of 18 should be treated primarily as criminal cases of defilement.

Abak attributed the rising number of teenage pregnancies largely to poverty, saying economic hardship made young people vulnerable to being lured into sexual relationships.

He called for stronger action against perpetrators and greater efforts to address the economic challenges that expose young people to risky situations.