1,214 Machinga girls drop out of school due to early marriages

Health authorities at Nainunje Health Centre in Machinga say the health center registered 1, 214 cases of teenage pregnancies in 2024 from the senior Chief Chiwalo and other surrounding areas in the district.

This is an increase of one hundred and five teenage pregnancy cases from 2023.

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According to Disease Control Surveillance Assistant at the health Centre, James Rajab, this signifies arise compared to 2023 as the health Centre registered 1109 cases.

“Such cases are on the rise at Nainunje Health Centre as compared to cases recorded in because in 2024, because the facility was overwhelmed with the high number of youth infected with various diseases,” said Rajab.

Rajab disclosed that in 2024, 213 youth were infected with sexual transmitted diseases like STI’s and HIV /AIDS where as in 2023, 121 youth were infected.

However, the report indicated that 4418 youth accessed family planning methods in 2024.

Meanwhile, Child rights activist Memory Chisenga described the situation as alarming -saying it escalates levels of poverty in the country due to high number of school dropout among the youth.

She further emphasized that the vice gives a room for various labor complications like fistula among young girls.

“This gives a lot of complications when girls give birth at the tender age because they can be exposed to fistula and other diseases. on top of that it escalates levels of poverty since there is high rate of school dropout”, Chisenga said.

Plan International Malawi is currently implementing a project called “Break free “to end early marriages in the district.