Rise in teen pregnancies saddens MedRAP
By Tony Nkhoma
RISING cases of adolescent pregnancies and child marriages have saddened the Medicines Research and Access Platform (MedRAP)
Speaking in an interview with The Mast, executive director Liyoka Liyoka, attributed the increase in adolescent pregnancies among girls to a lack of access to contraceptives.
“Barriers in accessing contraceptives by girls have placed Zambia as a country with one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancies and child marriages in the sub-Saharan region, as 28 percent of girls between 15 and 19-years-old experienced pregnancy in 2024,” he said.
Liyoka expressed sadness that the rate was significantly higher in rural communities at 36 per cent, compared with urban areas at 19 per cent.
He said access to contraceptives was a human right which was essential for health, equality, and self-determination.
“However, thousands of women and adolescent girls in Zambia remain underserved because of barriers like poverty, lack of information on contraception, stockouts of commodities in some health facilities, or long distances to facilities,” Liyoka said.
He said traditional and cultural beliefs, as well as religious values, still stand in the way of young girls, leading to a growth in adolescent pregnancies coupled with child marriages.
“The above factors are also contributing to the country’s high maternal mortality rate, which stands at a staggering 195 per 100,000 live births,” Liyoka said.
He called for the promotion of safe and effective contraceptive methods, reducing unintended pregnancies and improving the overall public health outcomes.
Liyoka has since reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to ensuring a Zambia where everyone has access to the contraceptive options they need without any form of challenge.
“As MedRAP Zambia, through our projects, we are leaving no stone unturned in promoting awareness and education about contraception and ensuring that every adolescent has the knowledge needed to make responsible choices,” he said.
Liyoka emphasised the need to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of contraceptive commodities to young girls.
“We are also cognisant of the fact that the government and its partners have put in place various interventions to make sure commodities reach the last mile; however, only a few interventions address the gender norms, poverty, or legal contradictions that keep girls vulnerable, undermining adolescent urgency,” he said.
Liyoka said without a deliberate strategy to dismantle the barriers, adolescent girls would continue to carry the burden of a system that was not designed to support their rights and aspirations, thereby rendering well-intentioned programs untenable.
He called for continued education for all reproductive ages, genders, and backgrounds about the various contraceptive methods available, their benefits, and accessibility.
