MPs up in arms over contraceptives for teenagers

MPs are up in arms over the reported government plan to allow girls as young as 15 years to access birth control pills.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa asked the Government not to approve such a policy, saying it would be equivalent to legitimising sexual violence in the country.

Tayebwa, who is also the Ruhinda North MP in Mitooma district, argued that “the devil shouldn’t take hold of anyone’s thoughts to approve birth control for teenagers”.

“We pray that the devil doesn’t find his way and such thoughts should never come into the minds of our people because it is giving up. That is formalising defilement. That is clearly saying we have failed,” he said during the plenary session he presided over on Tuesday, October 10.

“We would rather strengthen the monitoring to ensure that we fight this vice, but not legitimizing it by giving such services and I am glad it isn’t yet a policy,” he added.

Lucy Akello, the Amuru Woman MP, wondered whether the age of consent in Uganda had been revised to 15 years, from the current 18.

“Where is that plan coming from? Have you done a study to find out the implications of contraceptives on young girls who haven’t given birth? Even me who has given birth fear those things, what of the young girls?” she asked the state minister for primary health care, Margaret Muhanga.

“Yes, I fear and don’t use them, I use the natural method. Can you assure us that our children are safe with this policy you are coming up with?” she further asked.

Muhanga took to the floor and dismissed the media reports, saying the director of curative services at the ministry of health, Charles Olaro, had been misquoted.

“The director was misquoted. He made a suggestion but did not say we shall start. It is not a government policy,” the minister said.

The issue of providing contraceptives to girls aged below 18 years has been a topic of interest and public debate.

Some government officials and health experts say teenagers are sexually active and, therefore, must be given contraceptives as one of the measures to guard against unwanted pregnancies, but those against the move say it is one of the main drivers of the current high HIV prevalence rates in the country.