More help needed to tackle teen pregnancy in hinterland – DCMO

More emphasis and cooperation of medical practitioners are necessary to tackle teenage pregnancies in Guyana. This was underscored by Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Boyle during a recent training programme for medical graduates.
According to the United Nations Population Fund – formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) – the rates of teenage pregnancy in the Caribbean, particularly Guyana, is the second highest in both the Caribbean and Latin America; with 97 per 1000 population as against 73 per 1000, which is the average rate in the Caribbean.

Dr Boyle explained that the regional variations within Guyana indicate that in the urban communities, there is a 10 per cent teenage pregnancy rate as opposed to 22 per cent in rural areas. In the hinterland areas, such as Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), teenage pregnancy is estimated at 40 per cent.
The DCMO reported that the current rate of teenage pregnancy in the hinterland is as a result of insufficient universal primary healthcare services. She underlined the fact that the Public Health Ministry must go the extra mile to identify the bottlenecks and overcome this issue, ensuring service delivery in these hard to reach communities is achieved.
Boyle opined that simply ensuring the availability of oral contraceptives at hinterland health centres might not necessarily be the best solution; since it is not feasible for teenagers to travel for days to access the nearest health centre or district hospital. She suggested that the best-case scenario would involve scheduled medical team outreaches into these remote locations, to provide long-term contraceptive options.
Earlier this year, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud observed that approximately 41 per cent of teen mothers live with single parent mothers; another 24 per cent reside with grandparents, while about seven per cent live with a father alone.
The Public Health Ministry in 2016 launched the Adolescent Clinic Day/ Community Parenting Support Group in an effort to address teenage pregnancy.