Teen pregnancies must be discouraged says MEC
Minister of Health visits Empangeni hospital.
TEENAGE pregnancies should be discouraged at all cost, as it is not helping addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
This was the message from the KZN MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
Speaking during his recent visit to the Lower Umfolozi District War Memorial Hospital, Dhlomo said he was concerned about the disturbingly high number of teenage pregnancies.most of those giving birth were young people, who are still at school.
‘We can not celebrate when our young people give birth before time, while there are programmes in place to prevent such activities. We have supplied condoms at schools in an endeavor to curb the scourge of HIV/Aids and other sexual transmitted diseases. We do this not as a form to promote sexual activities as some parents believe, but to prevent early pregnancy.
‘It is a fact that most young people are now sexually active, and KwaZulu-Natal is the leading province with the highest rate of teenage pregnancy. This is very disturbing to us as government.’
Dhlomo also commended the Empangeni hospital for doing a sterling job as a regional maternity hospital, catering for patients from as far afield as Umkhanyakude and Zululand Districts.
Dhlomo also motivated the hospital staff including nurses and doctors to continue the good work of putting people’s first.
