Mrs. Regina Lalong, wife of Plateau Governor, on Monday in Jos organised a sensitisation programme on teenage pregnancy as part of the activities to mark this year’s children day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Regina also distributed sanitary towels to four model girls school in the state.
The governor’s wife, in a speech at the event, said that it was aimed at enlightening the girl-child on effects of teenage pregnancy on her future and her education.
She said that girl-child education would enthrone a better society where harmful traditional practices against women would be prevented.
“Girl-child education will assist in preventing female genital mutilation and poverty. It will also facilitate better health and long life,” she said.
She tasked the legislature to sponsor bills that would protect the rights of the girl-child and her well being
Speaking at the event, Associate Prof. Esther Envuladu, from the Department of Community Health, University of Jos, listed some of the causes of teenage pregnancy to include lack of guidance, sex education, peer pressure and financial hardship.
In a presentation titled: “Teenage pregnancy, a destroyer of dignity and destiny of the girl-child”, she said that recent findings showed that 26 per cent of teenage girls were pregnant in Plateau.
She identified some of the effects of teenage pregnancy as medical complications leading to diseases such as Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF), sexual transmitted diseases and mental disorder that could threaten the well-being of teenage girls.
“Teenage pregnancy is one of the highest causes of maternal mortality in the country. Many pregnant teenagers seek refuge using abortion which accounts for 30 to 40 per cent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.
“I urge you all as teenagers to concentrate on your education and wait till you become adults before you think of social and economic effects of families and the society,” she said.
Dr Yetunde Tagurum, from the University of Jos, in her presentation entitled “Psycho-social Problems and their Effects on girl-child Education”, explained that psycho-social problem was an emotional and behavourial disorder.
She said that 17 per cent of adolescents in Nigeria suffer psycho-social problems reflecting in depression and anxiety.
“Effects of these problems include poor concentration in schools, poor enrollment and more school dropouts as seen in our society, where girls account for the highest number of school children dropouts,” she said.
She said that the problems could be addressed through school enrollment interventions like the school feeding programmes, where increase in enrollment was being recorded in schools implementing it.
“Other ways of addressing these problems are through behavioral therapy, counseling, vocational training and empowerment skills,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that school bags, exercise books and food stuff were donated to the four model schools. (NAN)
