A leading official from the Methodist Church in Fiji has emphasized that the rising number of teenage pregnancies should not be blamed solely on the church but viewed as a shared concern. Reverend Jolame Lasawa, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, stressed the need for a collective response to this issue, especially in light of a noticeable increase in cases noted after major events and school holidays.
His remarks come as the country experiences the Term Two break for both primary and secondary school students, coinciding with various activities such as church conferences, youth camps, and festivals. Opposition Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Health and Medical Services, Penioni Ravunawa, has voiced concern regarding the impact of these pregnancies.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that between 2018 and 2021, there were 1,279 recorded cases of teenage pregnancy, with 1,057 involving iTaukei individuals, 178 Indo-Fijians, and 44 from other ethnic backgrounds. Reverend Lasawa pointed out that this issue extends beyond school settings and is prevalent in community life as well.
The statistics reveal that the Central Division had the highest incidence, accounting for 636 cases, followed by the Western Division with 350, the Northern Division with 60, and the Eastern Division with 11. Reverend Lasawa highlighted the ongoing efforts of the church’s education and youth departments to tackle teenage pregnancy, calling for shared responsibility among all sectors of society.
MP Ravunawa further noted that teenage pregnancies and childbirth lead to higher dropout rates among high school girls, escalating health and welfare costs, and various developmental challenges for the children of teenage mothers. He pointed out that babies born to teen mothers often face a greater risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and sadly, higher mortality rates.