TEEN PREGNANCY RATE 'HIGH' IN KARIBIB AREA

June 26, 2002 – (The Namibian - Windhoek) Last year one in five pregnant women in the Karibib district were teenagers who should have been in school, says Dr Matthew Akpo.

The Usakos-based doctor told a Women's Action for Development (WAD) Field Day at Karibib on Saturday, that the teenage pregnancy rate remained high even though health workers were teaching family planning techniques.

On HIV-AIDS, Dr Akpo said that from January to December last year, 54 out of 90 people in the area tested positive for HIV.

Statistics showed that 30 were males and 24 females. He added that last year HIV-AIDS caused or contributed indirectly to the death of 15 people in the prime of their lives.

"In Usakos district, we are determined to win because we have not folded our hands to allow this monster to rage on," Akpo said.

He said the community had acquired knowledge which could help prevent the spread of HIV-AIDS and other STDs as well as teenage pregnancies, "but under the influence of alcohol, this knowledge flies off and caution is thrown to the wind".

Akpo advocated that the fight against HIV-AIDS should not be left to health workers alone.

He urged parents, religious leaders and teachers to use every possible opportunity to educate young people and adults on the dangers of unsafe sex and alcohol abuse.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200206260112.html