A SIGNIFICANT chunk of the pregnancies attended to at some health institutions across the country involved adolescent girls under 19 years a United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report has revealed.
Unicef’s Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe report published recently by the Health and Child Care ministry and Unicef with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Unesco, indicates an adolescent pregnancy prevalence rate in Zimbabwe of 23,7%.
The UN agency said the Health Resilience Fund being spearheaded by the government, development and technical partners is tackling such issues through efforts to improve access to primary healthcare services.
The Health Resilience Fund is a co-ordinated effort by the government and development and technical partners supporting the Health and Child Care ministry to attain universal health coverage for Zimbabweans.
It is also led by the Health and Child Care ministry and benefits from financial contributions from the European Union, the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and technical support from UNFPA, Unicef, and the World Health Organisation.
Its programmes are implemented at national, provincial, district and community levels by implementing partners.
According to Unicef, the fund assists Plumtree District Hospital by training healthcare workers, providing clinical mentorship for doctor-nurse teams, and providing health supplies and medicines.
Particular attention is given to the health of adolescent girls, as Zimbabwe faces high levels of early pregnancies.
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“The Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe, published recently by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Unicef with the support of UNFPA and Unesco, indicates an adolescent pregnancy prevalence rate in Zimbabwe of 23,7%.
“At Plumtree District Hospital, 29 out of the 34 mothers seen at the maternity waiting home on the visit day were adolescents under 19,” the report indicated.
Unicef also said accessing essential medicines was key to the Health Resilience Fund’s ultimate objective.
The report further indicated: “This accessibility contributes to ensuring universal health coverage for all Zimbabweans, meaning everyone in Zimbabwe has access to a full range of quality health services without financial hardship.
“Ensuring universal health coverage implies health services are brought to the people, like here through an outreach activity in Matabeleland South.
“To end preventable deaths in maternal, newborn and child health, interventions of the Health Resilience Fund emphasise increased availability, equity and access to essential reproductive maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services, including through promoting community participation and bringing health services as close as possible to the people’s everyday environment.”
