The Upper East Region has recorded a staggering 4,540 teenage pregnancies between January and October 2025, a figure development experts describe as deeply alarming.
The number is just 181 short of the total cases recorded in the whole of 2024, which stood at 4,721 — sparking fears that this year’s tally could surpass it, especially with the festive, funeral, and events season approaching.
According to the latest data, Bawku West topped the list with 713 cases, followed by Pusiga with 547. Bongo recorded 423, while Talensi followed with 402.
Other districts reported significant numbers, including Bawku Municipal (265), Kassena Nankana Municipal (298), Kassena Nankana West (369), Nabdam (198), Tempane (232), Builsa North (131), Garu (212), Bolgatanga Municipal (294), Binduri (162) and Bolgatanga East (85).
Stakeholders say the crisis is being fuelled by weak enforcement of child protection and sexual-offense laws, a culture of silence, stigma, limited access to sexual and reproductive health education, economic vulnerability, and inadequate support systems.
Presenting the data at a Regional Stakeholders Dialogue on Combating Teenage Pregnancies and Sexual Abuse in Schools, held to mark the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence, Dora Kulariba, the Regional Adolescent Health Focal Person, described the trend as troubling.
“The figures we have here are actuals. We counted the number of girls aged 10 to 19 who got pregnant. In Bawku West alone, over 700 girls came to the facility to access services,” she said.
“My heart still aches because we have already hit 4,000 even though the year has not ended. Let’s protect if we can’t abstain.”