Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza,Sunday News Reporter
NINETEEN children aged between 10 and 14 years were impregnated in Bulawayo from January to August this year in a shocking development likely to cause a splitting headache for stakeholders.
The age of consent in Zimbabwe is 18 years and sexual relations with children aged 17 and below is a criminal offence.
Twelve of the pregnant minors were recorded at Bulawayo City Council (BCC)-run clinics, while seven of the children were recorded at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
The statistics were released during a National Aids Council (NAC) stakeholders’ meeting that was also attended by the councillors and council management last month.
During the same period, an accumulative 1 166 children between 15 and 19 years old were impregnated in Bulawayo.
Of the 12 children that were recorded at the BCC-run local clinics, Emakhandeni Clinic had five cases. Nkulumane Clinic recorded four, while three had their cases picked up in the northern suburbs district.
Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Mzingwane said the statistics could be higher than what was recorded, as some cases could have slipped through the cracks and not presented at health facilities.
“The 1 166 is part of the number of those who came to the clinics and their cases were recorded. We have those cases where pregnancies are terminated without reaching hospitals. Going forward, we will also be approaching private facilities to get a clearer picture of the situation across the city,” said Dr Mzingwane.
Dr Mzingwane said in future the city will segregate the statistics for children aged 17 and below to give a clearer picture on individuals who are having sex with minors.
“Those who are under 17 years of age are under-age and the police have to intervene. It’s not easy to reveal who is impregnating them. Communities are reluctant in revealing the identities of the individuals impregnating minors,” he said.
Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu expressed concern over the high number of child pregnancies in the city and appealed to the Government to work on finding long-lasting solutions to the scourge of teen pregnancies.
Clr Ndlovu implored the council to take an aggressive position in implementing strategies to prevent child pregnancies, which also expose children to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections that include HIV.
“The biggest problem we have is poverty. As council, Central Government, through its Department of Social Development among other agencies, we should go into communities and identify vulnerable children and come up with ways of helping them.
“By looking at the statistics, I believe we are trying to solve symptoms of a problem that is already affecting communities,” he said.
Clr Ndlovu said even those who are aged 19 years are still too young to understand the institution of marriage.
Ward 10 Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu said while cases of child pregnancies were reported at a few clinics, the scourge cuts across the whole city.
“This is a citywide problem. It is not a problem that is limited to certain wards or areas. There are cases where a pregnant child from Cowdray Park is recorded at a Mzilikazi clinic because the parents are too embarrassed to register the child at a clinic in their own area,” said Clr Ndlovu.
