Machinga lags behind on SRH

Machinga District director of health and social services Arnold Kapachika says the district is struggling on sexual and reproductive health indictors.

Speaking during  Family Planning Association (Fpam) meeting on Monday,  he said the district is registering high cases of teenage pregnancies.

“Young girls start bearing children at a tender age such that the number of children a woman has is high as compared to other areas,” said Kapachika.

He also expressed concern over rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and high school dropout rates.

“However, community awareness has improved reporting on GBV cases,” said Kapachika.

Fpam director of programmes Tazirwa Chipeta said they have been engaging communities in the district on SRH issues through Yes I Do Project.

“Things are now improving as the project has empowered chiefs, the youth and mother groups on how they address child marriages, sexual abuse and teenage pregnancies,” she said.

Group village head Ngongondo, from Senior Chief Liwonde, said she terminated 28 child marriages under the project.