Committee set up to deal with teenage pregnancy

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Raja Zarith Sofiah (centre) with Fatimah (right), Dr Subramaniam (third left) and others.

Raja Zarith Sofiah (centre) with Fatimah (right), Dr Subramaniam (third left) and others.

KUCHING: Sarawak had taken a comprehensive and holistic approach involving various agencies to address the issue of teenage pregnancy by setting up a One Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee (OSTPC).

Minister of Welfare, Woman and Family Development, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the state was aware of the alarming number of cases and the complexity in handling them.

“Most of the pregnant teenagers go to the clinic during their pregnancies for medical check-ups, that was when the state Health Department took the initiative to propose this to the state government.”

“This initiative is aimed at giving care and support to these young mothers as well as care for them and their babies,” Fatimah said.

The committee agencies include state Health Department, Welfare Department, Education Department, Registration Department, Women and Family Department, National Population and Family Development Board, police, religious institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGO).

“They are the relevant agencies to discuss and overcome specific issues identified,” she said.

It involved three levels – the state level which she chairs, deputy president who is Early Childhood Education and Family Development Assistant Minister Rosey Yunus, and committees comprising directors of related agencies.

Committees enable agencies to be involved in discussing the issue before it is brought to the divisional level committee led by the Resident or officers from the divisional Health Department.

There are 10 centres statewide. A total of 51 teenage pregnancy cases had been referred to them, out of which 20 pertain to education, 16 welfare, four registration and one law (solved).

All the information was presented during the ‘GenerasiKu Sayang’ programme launched by the Ministry of Health in Putrajaya on Thursday.

Fatimah was one of the speakers representing the state’s initiative on teenage pregnancy through its OSTPC.

The Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah officiated at the launch. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam was also present.