THE Ministry of Public Health has officially launched support groups at several community health centres across Guyana to educate and empower young parents, especially mothers, to make sound decisions and choices regarding their health and well-being. These support groups will be operated by doctors and other medical personnel, and will provide family- planning and child health services.
First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger, who attended the official launch of the initiative on Friday at the Pegasus Hotel, noted the importance of having such a programme in place.
“It is a matter of concern that the Caribbean ranks second to Sub-Saharan Africa as having the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world,” she was quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry of the Presidency.
“Any thinking person would be greatly concerned that Guyana has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with the highest proportion of teenage mothers located in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.”
She said, too, that because adolescent mothers lose out on their education, she is heartened that programmes are being implemented to encourage and empower them to continue their development 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,” Mrs Granger said, adding:
“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 further urged the Ministry of Public Health to collaborate with other ministries to develop strategies aimed at addressing the issues affecting teenage parents.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Health, Ms Volda Lawrence, emphasised the importance of addressing the social ills affecting adolescents and young people, as the present administration has been doing since coming to office, with the help of UN agencies and other non-governmental organisations.

A CLEAR PICTURE
“I further want to highlight the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of the World Population Report that has provided Guyana with the current data on our adolescents and youths,” she said, adding:
“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.”
Noting that the World Population Report has identified mental health as being one of the main causes of illness and disability among adolescents here in Guyana, Minister Lawrence said:
“The Community Parenting Support Groups offer the mother an opportunity to interact in an ambience that is non-judgemental 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.”
For Minister of Social Protection, Ms Amna Ally, the launch of the initiative is testimony to the administration’s high level of commitment to the nation’s youth.

“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,” Minister Ally said.
Minister within the Ministry of Education, Ms Nicolette Henry, spoke on the importance of safeguarding adolescents.
“I call upon all of us: the international community, civil society, and in particular the Adolescent Health Unit, to ensure that the services that are provided through this initiative are well tailored to meet the needs of our young people,” she said.
“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,” Minister Henry added.

WAYS AND MEANS
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud, said that the Ministry of Public Health intends to focus on issues affecting adolescents, and implementing ways and means of dealing with those situations.
“We want to ensure that before that girl gets that first strike,” he said, “that we avoid those situations by providing the kinds of services that are necessary, and that are absolutely essential.”
Meanwhile, Dr Oneka Scott, Co-ordinator of Adolescent Health and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS at the Ministry of Public Health, said that the ministry has launched the Community Parenting Support Group in an effort to tackle the increase in teenage pregnancy across Guyana.
“We thought that teenage pregnancy is rampant, and the Ministry of Public health needs to respond,” Dr Scott said, adding:
“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.”
The event was also attended by the Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings; Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mr Sydney Allicock; Dr William Adu-Krow ,of the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO); Ms Silvie Fouet of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); dignitaries representing various organisations and several schools.