School pregnancies straining clinics

Durban - The high pregnancy rate in KwaZulu-Natal schools was putting pressure on the province’s public health institutions, the health department said on Wednesday.“The MEC (Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo) is really worried about school pregnancies because they put a burden on our clinics,” said health spokesperson, Des Motha.He said Dhlomo would open two clinics on Friday in KwaZulu-Natal’s Umziwabantu Municipality where the school pregnancy rate was high.“There were 123 pregnancies in three schools in Umziwabantu Municipality last year alone. That number is too high,” said Motha.There were 83 pregnancies in Jolwayo High School, 14 at Kwambonwa High School and 26 in Xekeza High School last year, he said.Dhlomo would open an R8.5m clinic in Kwambonwa and a R5.5m clinic in Sontombe on Friday.Motha said government was not only worried about the burden caused by the pregnancies but also about the health of pregnant school children.

Dhlomo felt pupils were not ready to be parents.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/School-pregnancies-straining-clinics-20110223