Teen Pregnancies Spiral Out of Control in Busoga, Bukedi

Bukedi and Busoga sub-regions are at the heart of Uganda’s growing adolescent pregnancy crisis, with health experts sounding the alarm over rising rates of early motherhood, limited contraceptive access, and persistent poverty. 

In Bukedi, 29.5% of adolescent girls have already had children, while 3.6% are pregnant for the first time, according to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS).

 Busoga reflects similarly troubling figures, with 28.4% of young women already mothers and 5.8% expecting their first child.

New findings released Wednesday at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja indicate that 16.1% of adolescents in the two regions are currently pregnant, while 43% reported having had sex, 21.3% within the past 30 days. The data, drawn from the 2024 Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) survey, exposes critical gaps in reproductive health services.

“These numbers reflect a multi-faceted crisis—poverty, school dropouts, and weak health systems are all contributing to the problem,” said Prof. Fredrick Makumbi, who led the PMA research team alongside Dr. Simon Kibira. The survey, conducted in partnership with Makerere University School of Public Health and the Ministry of Health, involved 141 households in Bukedi and Busoga and forms part of a nationwide study covering 4,479 women in 15 regions. The household survey achieved a 96.4% completion rate.

Despite some progress in contraceptive uptake, adolescent and unintended pregnancies remain stubbornly high. Modern contraceptive use peaked at 34.9% in 2022 but dipped slightly to 34.2% in 2024. Traditional methods rose modestly from 5.9% in 2020 to 6.7% in 2024. The overall contraceptive prevalence increased from 35.6% in 2020 to 40.8% in 2024, although projections suggest a drop to 30.6% by 2025.

In Bukedi, the total demand for family planning stands at 59.4%, while in Busoga it is at 57.5%. However, 21% of women in these regions still face unmet family planning needs. Local leaders attribute the crisis to a blend of social and systemic failures. “Despite having more than 10 factories in Tororo, few of our youth are employed,” said Okia John, Tororo District Chairperson. 

“Poverty is fueling early pregnancy. And for nearly six months, our health centres had no medicines.” Pallisa CAO Fredrick Byekwaso echoed these concerns, while Butaleja District Chairman Michael Mugenyi urged health workers to lead by example in promoting family planning, citing his own vasectomy to challenge stigma.

Health system weaknesses have also played a role. Ministry of Health officials revealed that most districts received only four out of six scheduled contraceptive deliveries from the National Medical Stores in 2023/24 due to supply chain disruptions. Poor health facility reporting and delayed release of operational funds have further crippled service delivery.

Elizabeth Kalende, representing the Kyabazinga Initiative, called for awareness campaigns targeting children as young as 10. “Some of Uganda’s youngest mothers—and grandmothers—are here in Busoga,” she said. Meanwhile, Owekitibwa Babirye Hudayah, Minister for Kyabazinga Affairs, emphasized involving boys and men more actively: “One boy can be responsible for 12 pregnancies,” she warned.