Teenage pregnancy cases surge in Upper East, hit 2,205 in five months

The Upper East Region recorded 2,205 teenage pregnancies between January and May 2026, a development health authorities have described as deeply concerning.

Speaking on Upper East-based Bolga FM on June 24, 2026, the Upper East Regional Adolescent Health Focal Person at the Regional Health Directorate, Dora Kulariba, said the rising number of adolescent pregnancies remains a major public health challenge that requires urgent attention from parents, communities, and stakeholders.

According to data from the Regional Health Directorate, 25 pregnancies were recorded among girls aged between 10 and 14 years, while 2,180 cases involved adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

Ms. Kulariba attributed the trend partly to inadequate access to accurate reproductive health information among adolescents.

“Most adolescents do not receive the right information about teenage pregnancy and its effects. The rate at which teenage girls are becoming pregnant is very alarming,” she stated.

She stressed the need for parents and guardians to initiate age-appropriate conversations on reproductive health and responsible decision-making with their children.

“Parents should start talking to their children from a young age about reproductive health and responsible decision-making to help prevent teenage pregnancy,” she added.

District-level figures revealed significant variations across the region. Bawku West recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies with 343 cases, followed by Pusiga with 262 cases and Bongo with 201 cases. Bolgatanga East recorded the lowest figure with 34 cases.

Other districts recorded the following numbers: Bawku Municipality (126), Binduri (83), Bolgatanga Municipality (134), Builsa North (68), Builsa South (84), Garu (109), Kassena-Nankana West (166), Kassena-Nankana Municipality (139), Nabdam (125), Talensi (194), and Tempane (134).

Health authorities continue to advocate stronger collaboration among parents, schools, community leaders, and healthcare providers to equip adolescents with accurate reproductive health information and support systems.

Stakeholders believe that improving reproductive health education, strengthening parental guidance, and increasing community engagement will be critical in reducing teenage pregnancies and ensuring a healthier future for young people across the Upper East Region.

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