THE revelation that children as young as 14 are sexually active is cause for concern.
Labasa Hospital chief medical officer for obstetrics and gynaecology, Dr Saiasi Caginidaveta said evidence was showing up in the delivery rooms.
“We recently had a 16-year-old give birth,” he said.
“If she’s pregnant at 16, that means she was sexually active at 14.”
Now that is a concern! That’s an age we would expect our children to be focused on other issues and challenges and less on getting pregnant and parenthood!
However, because it is already happening, questions must be asked now.
Dr Caginidaveta said the child bearer age had dropped to 16 years.
“It’s a big worry. We are not just talking about pregnancy, we’re talking about children having children.” Now that is a sad statement. It is unfortunate, but that is also the harsh reality of the society we live in it seems.
Dr Caginidaveta believes social media was one of the biggest influential factors of teenage pregnancies.
Teenagers, he believes, are meeting people online, and this, often outside the watchful eyes of their parents and guardians.
He has also connected being sexually active young to the surge in HIV cases.
What is shocking is the fact that in the Northern Division, he said, HIV cases are on the rise and many women testing positive are pregnant.
For this, he is calling for more awareness programs.
We agree that it will take more than just the Government to address this major challenge. We have to say the roles of parents and guardians is quite important in the greater scheme of things.
Yet they can only do so much. It is indeed a sad state of affairs for parents and guardians who are impacted by this.
So where is the influence coming from?
Social media? Peer pressure? Is it our education system that has failed our children because of the transition from one class to the next? Is it about losing the edge to commit to education and improving lives because of this transition?
We accept that children also make a lot of decisions and choices outside the protection of their parents and guardians!
There are so many factors to consider, from experimentation for instance, to drugs and how readily available that is. As we mull over the eventualities, and the impact of underage pregnancies, we are also drawn to the need for us all to make well informed decisions for the future of our children!
We are also reminded about support systems, and a base for our affected children to build their lives from.
Education is important! Our children need to be motivated to be educated, and to be aware of the challenges they face when they fall pregnant at a very early age.
We can focus on our children’s activities and spend more time with them.
But we have to face this situation with honesty and urgency! Teenage mothers will most often drop out of school, face health complications, and may struggle financially and emotionally!
So we need to be talking about sexual health, relationships and consequences! In the face of all this, let us never forget to have safe, judgment-free spaces for young people to seek help and information.
Our goal, ultimately, should be focused on prevention!
This is where we should probably be focused on education, empowering our children with knowledge and emotional resilience. We have to confront this uncomfortable truth!
