Do you know any mothers who gave birth when they were under the age of 18?

 BACKGROUND

In an article published in the New Vision on September 3rd, Christine Abia expressed concern over age of the patients in the female and maternity wards in Arua Regional Referral Hospital.

Christine observed that many patients were under the age of 18. Mothers of new born babies were as young as 15 and grandmothers were 30 years old. This partly accounts for Uganda’s high infant mortality rate as the mothers’ bodies have not fully developed to carry and sustain a baby. In the paediatric ward of Arua hospital, Christine observed babies suffering from extreme malnutrition, with some being breastfed by their grandmothers, and not their grandmothers.

Christine is calling for the government to raise the age of consent from 18 years to 21 years.

QUESTION

Do you know any mothers who gave birth when they were under the age of 18?

A. Yes

B. No

INSTRUCTIONS

Go to Messages in your phone. Type PACIS, then your answer, A or B. Send to 8585. This SMS is TOTALLY FREE OF CHARGE.