Oyam And Kole Lead Lango Sub-Region In Teenage Pregnancies At 26 Percent

8 September 2026, 11:57 pm

By Eman Yonah Oruk

Oyam and Kole Districts are leading the Lango Sub‑region in teenage pregnancy rates, each recording 26 percent, according to figures presented during the 2026 Lango Regional Health Assembly and Joint Review Mission. The meeting was held at Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City under the theme A Responsive, Sustainable Health System for 10‑Fold Growth.

The overall teenage pregnancy rate in Lango Sub‑region stands at 23 percent, higher than the national average of 18 percent. Other districts also recorded worrying figures: Amolatar, Kwania, Otuke, Lira and Alebtong each at 24 percent, Dokolo at 23 percent, Apac at 22 percent, while Lira City registered the lowest rate at 14 percent.

Health officials expressed concern, noting that the situation requires joint efforts from families, cultural leaders, political leaders, schools, police and the health sector. Kole District Health Officer Dr. Richard Ojede said the region should not be proud of leading in teenage pregnancies, attributing the problem to family breakdown, poverty, school dropouts, early marriages, weak enforcement of laws against defilement, sexual and gender‑based violence, and limited sex education within families. He further linked the challenge to the effects of the insurgency that disrupted traditional family structures and contributed to school dropouts.

Lira Regional Referral Hospital Senior Executive Consultant Dr. Andrew Odur highlighted the growing burden of sickle cell disease, estimating prevalence between 20 and 25 percent. He revealed that the hospital’s sickle cell clinic receives about 1,600 children and young people weekly, and called for documentation of clan backgrounds to establish patterns for targeted interventions. He urged health leaders to shift focus from curative approaches to prevention, citing the rise of non‑communicable diseases, malaria, and emerging outbreaks.

Hon. Patrick Ogwang Obura, Member of Parliament for Oyam County South and Chairperson of LPG, urged collaboration between health authorities and political leaders. He emphasized that MPs can lobby for resources if technical leaders provide timely information on critical gaps. He identified staffing and infrastructure as major challenges, and raised concern over absenteeism among health workers. He called on the 12th Parliament to work closely with District Health Officers to address these gaps and strengthen accountability.

Resident District Commissioner of Amolatar, Francis Okello Odoki Rwotlonyo, described sickle cell disease as one of the “forgotten surges” in the region. He also raised alarm over road traffic accidents, attributing more than 80 percent of emergency ward casualties to reckless riding and driving, and urged motorists to observe road safety measures.

Apac District LCV Chairperson Ambrose Agec Opio, who also chairs all LCV leaders in Lango, called for increased government support for electronic health systems. He cited inadequate digital gadgets, poor network connectivity, and unreliable electricity as barriers, pointing to delays at Olelpek Health Centre III due to challenges with the e‑register system.

The two‑day Regional Health Assembly, under the theme A Responsive, Sustainable Health System for 10‑Fold Growth, opened on Tuesday, September 8, and concluded on Wednesday, September 9.