Support group, designated clinic day for teen moms set to boost empowerment

Young parents will now have additional opportunity to educate and empower themselves, with the advent of the Ministry of Public Health’s Adolescent Clinic Day and Community Parenting Support Group.

The ministry, through its Adolescent Health Unit officially launched the new initiative, together with a situation analysis on teenage pregnancy, Friday afternoon at the Pegasus Hotel; it was attended by First Lady Sandra Granger and several ministers of government.

Essentially, the new initiative will offer adolescent parents, specifically young mothers, the opportunity to better guide their decisions with emphasis on their health and well-being through designated clinic days and support groups.

The support groups will be operated by doctors and other medical personnel and will provide family planning and child health services.

Coordinator of Adolescent Health and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS at the Ministry of Public Health Dr Oneka Scott said the ministry has launched the Community Parenting Support Group in an effort to tackle the increase of teenage pregnancy across Guyana.

“… Teenage pregnancy is rampant and the Ministry of Public Health needs to respond,” she said. “The most important intervention you can make is at a community level… change health outcomes, change behaviour, change culture… we want to expose our already pregnant teenage moms to education, information and empowerment so that they are able to prevent a repeat pregnancy in their teenage years… We have support groups, we invite them, we make them feel a part of a group that meets and shares a sacred space with their health care provider.”

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, in her remarks, commended the efforts of the Adolescent Health Unit for its commitment in addressing teenage pregnancy in Guyana.

“Adolescent pregnancy emerges as a social, economic and health issue that threatens the sustainable development of our society,” Lawrence said, before going on to describe the new initiative as one that would foster positive outcomes and a change in unhealthy behaviours, as well as the adoption of positive attitudes among adolescents.

“We must intervene not just to lessen the social problems of our adolescent mothers but also the risk of clinical manifestations which will lead to maternal and infant deaths and interuterine growth retardation among others… Support groups offer the mother an opportunity to interact in an ambience that is nonjudgmental and respectful. They need not fear disrespect nor disdain but rather can participate freely in discussions that concern their maternal health and learn more about their bodies and other related pregnancy topics,” Lawrence added.

The minister noted the collaboration with the United Nations (UN) agencies and other non-governmental organizations to address adolescent-related issues.

“I further want to highlight United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of the World Population Report that has provided Guyana with the

current data on our adolescents and youths. The importance of this data cannot be underestimated. We now have a clear picture of the numbers involved and the range of issues as well as an insight into the strategies needed to overcome these challenges,” Lawrence said.

The State of the World Population Report has detailed Guyana’s mental health problems and identified mental health as one of the main causes of illness and disability among adolescents. Meanwhile, the First Lady remarked on the importance of health and well-being of young girls, particularly since Guyana is ranked as having the second highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the Caribbean.

“It is a matter of concern that the Caribbean

ranks second to SubSaharan Africa as having the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world. Any thinking person would be greatly concerned that Guyana has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with the highest proportion of teenage mothers located in Sophia…,” the First Lady related.

But Granger said she was particularly heartened by the fact that programmes, much like the Adolescent Clinic Day and Community Parent Support Group, continue to be implemented to encourage and empower the young expectant mothers towards leading productive lives.

“The admirable initiative of the Ministry of

Public Health to support teen mothers must be applauded. Praise must also be given to the inclusion of young fathers in support groups that have been and are being established in different locations throughout our country. The dedication and commitment of the doctors, nurses and other staff of those centres will be a key factor in determining the success of this initiative,” the First Lady added.

Also present at the launch were Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally and Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry, both of whom applauded the Adolescent Health Unit.

Ally reiterated the importance of investing in the country’s youth, particularly when they reach the adolescent stage. “I would

like to categorically state that we must never grow weary of continuously highlighting the importance of investing in our children. We can and must seek to create and establish strategic policies and programme-oriented goals that facilitate the development of their full potential especially their health and well-being,” Ally said.

Similarly, Henry implored persons to assist in the safe guarding of adolescents by ensuring the services that are provided through this initiative and others like it, are well tailored to meet the needs of the young people. “It is my hope that this clinic day and teen support initiative will benefit and improve the health and well-being of our adolescents nationwide,” Henry said.