A 15 year old girl from Bwagi ward in the former Budondo sub county, now Jinja Northern Division in Jinja City has been arrested for allegedly undergoing an illegal abortion, sparking a police hunt for those involved in the procedure.
The minor whose identity has been held for ethical reasons, was reportedly misled by her 18 year-old boyfriend identified only as Rogers ,a sugar cane loader who dropped out of school while in Primary Five.
Its alleged Rogers lured the girl who was also in P5 to drop out of school promising to marry her and after a series of ‘away matches’; the minor conceded to a double free header.
According to police, the girl visited Kyomya Health Centre for antenatal services where midwives congratulated her for the successful romps which would soon earn her the coveted title of Nalongo (mother of twins).
Instead of joy, the expectant teenager was perplexed, prompting her to seek counsel from a fellow teenager friend identified only as Moreen; who advised her to get an illegal abortion using local herbs.
Moreen reportedly told the friend that she would forever lose ‘market’ that very moment by carrying twins and miss out on the joy of enjoying life saying even some very powerful ladies in the government became Nalongos in their mid-forties.
After experiencing severe labour-like pains, the girl gave birth to seven-month old twin girls, but they said Moreen suggested disposing of the babies in the health facility’s toilets.
While at home with the parents, the condition deteriorated with severe bleeding, the juvenile mother was rushed to Budondo Health Centre IV where a scan was conducted indicating that illegal abortion was done.
This development drew the attention of local leaders who reported the matter to the Kiira Regional Fire Brigade team who rushed to the alleged scene but did not detect evidence of anything.
The suspect now told cops she dreamt the twins were buried in one of the sugar cane plantations in the area.
Reports say the parents knew about their daughter’s affair and pregnancy with Rogers but chose to negotiate amicably with the boy’s parents for financial and material rewards as well as keep the family name out of public scorn.
The police through its Regional Spokesperson SP James Mubi warns against premarital bonking which leads to other issues like illegal abortion and deaths.
“…nobody has the right to terminate an unborn child’s life unless on approved medical grounds, and children should focus on education which is the only tool that can unlock their potential…”Mubi counsels.
The police loudspeaker say they are determined to arrest all those involved in the illegal abortion processes, adding investigations are ongoing with a focus on identifying accomplices to ensure justice is served.
The incident highlights concerns over teenage pregnancy in Busoga and Uganda in general. The Uganda Government in partnership with stakeholders like Busoga kingdom has implemented numerous programmes to address the challenges.
However, more needs to be done to prevent such incidents and ensure young girls receive adequate support, guidance and counseling.
The global situation regarding teenage pregnancy and abortion is quite a disturbing matter. Reports suggest that every year, around 21 million girls aged 15-19 become pregnant, resulting in approximately 12 million births.
This is a major issue especially in low and middle income countries where about 50 %of these pregnancies are unintended and often lead to unsafe abortions.
In Sub Saharan Africa, the adolescent birth rate is alarmingly high with 97.9 births per 1000 girls aged 15-19.
Uganda in particular has a maternal mortality ratio of 336 deaths per 100,000 live births, with 17.2% of these deaths occurring among girls aged 15-19.What’s more one in four Ugandan women has given birth by the age of 18.
Experts are calling for a comprehensive sex education by incorporating abstinence, safe sex practices and emotional intelligence. They are also advocating for effective parenting by balancing technological advancements with guided supervision and open communication.
Experts advise Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to step up age-appropriate content regulation on various media platforms like TVs, radios, internet and films.
It has been noted that unsupervised access to harmful content, decreased face-to-face interaction, increased peer pressure and lack of emotional support are some of the challenges of modern parenting.
Recommended solutions include digital literacy where both parents and children are educated on responsible technology use.
It is also important that community parenting that Ugandans used to cherish should be revised by engaging schools, religious and cultural institutions in promoting healthy values and norms.
So parents, take responsibility for guiding your children, together we can create a safer, more informed environment for our children.
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