Guyana has launched a national campaign titled “Let’s End Child Pregnancies” to raise awareness and reduce adolescent pregnancies across the country. The initiative, organized by the Healthy Life Course Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in collaboration with the Adolescent Health Unit of the Ministry of Health, was inaugurated at the Sophia Health Centre as part of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Week 2025. The campaign aims to empower young mothers and promote safe motherhood through education, healthcare, and community engagement.
Despite notable progress in recent years, Guyana continues to record one of the higher adolescent birth rates in the region, with figures dropping from 80.5 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 in 2010 to 66.6 in 2021. The campaign underscores that while improvement has been made, adolescent pregnancy remains a major public health issue that requires sustained action and awareness.
The awareness drive introduced a “safe motherhood approach”, offering guidance on family planning, prenatal care, nutrition, and lifestyle choices for young mothers. The sessions also addressed emergency signs during pregnancy, referral pathways, and educational opportunities for adolescent girls. A special feature, the “Roadmap Tool,” helped participants understand each stage of pregnancy, encouraging proactive health and family planning decisions.
Healthcare providers at the Sophia Health Centre conducted interactive discussions, offering practical advice on topics such as labour, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. Nurses also shared information on newborn registration and postnatal clinic services, emphasizing the value of continued family planning support. To conclude the event, adolescent mothers received maternity care packages as a gesture of encouragement and solidarity.
The campaign is part of a broader national strategy to address adolescent health and maternal well-being, with similar outreach activities scheduled at health facilities throughout the country. PAHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Guyana’s adolescent health initiatives, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reduce teenage pregnancies and enhance maternal health outcomes by 2030.
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