Adolescent Pregnancy In Delta Is Worrisome — WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed worries over the increasing cases of adolescent pregnancy in Delta State, and called on governments and other stakeholders in the health sector to address the trend.

Speaking at a programme of the Delivery Innovation in Self Care 1.0; State Level Projects Dissemination in collaboration with Society for Family Health held in Asaba, WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Faith Ireye, said the “adolescent pregnancy within 14 and 19 age bracket in the State is, to say the least, worrisome.”

She said there was need to ensure that more women, including adolescent, get information about the family planning.Shev said: “If they have information, and well-guarded with the information at their disposal, it will be possible to crash this adolecent pregnancy below four per cent ”.

Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, however, lauded the Society for Family Health (SFH) on its Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project aimed to expand access to contraceptives by women in the state.

Onojaeme said the meeting was necessary to reflect on the accomplishments of the project, discuss its impact and chart a way forward.

According to the commissioner, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Philomena Okeowo, the DISC project is funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).

Earlier, the Deputy Team Lead, DISC Project, SFH, Mopelola Raji, said the project was aimed at changing the way self-care contraception was perceived. According to her, the DISC project is a four-year project funded by CIFF and implemented by Population Services International and SFH.

“So, we have what we call DMPA-SC Self-Injection, our unique product; it helps the woman to amplify her voice and also promotes autonomy for the woman to be able to decide what works for her.

“So, we have an innovation called the ‘Empathy-based Training’ where we train the providers to have the competence and increased capacity to coach women to successfully self-inject themselves,” she said.