08 Mar 2017

Palapye sub-district continues to experience an increasing number of teenage pregnancies with Palapye village and Lerala having the highest numbers.
Addressing councillors during the ongoing Palapye Administration Authority meeting on Monday, chairperson Mr Lesedi Phuthego said 81 cases of pregnant teenageers aged between 15 and 19 were recorded in this year’s quarter three.
He said 50 cases were recorded in Palapye while Lerala had 14 cases.
However, he said efforts are being made by Palapye District Health Management Team to encourage responsibility and self-control among the youth in order to delay sexual or drug induced gratification before they reach their full potential.
He said this calls for strengthened collaborative work between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and other stakeholders in the schools as well as the community at large.
On other issues, Mr Phuthego warned councillors about malaria, saying that the sub-district was currently experiencing a high volume of Malaria with records of two deaths.
He said the total number of cases since the beginning of the Malaria Transmission Season was 32 compared to five cases for the previous malaria season. The hard-hit areas are Maunatlala and Lerala.
He said investigations were being carried out so as to inform recommendations on strategies to be engaged in dealing with the situation.
Regarding sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), he said STIs were still a challenge in the sub-district.
He said in the last quarter, 1 206 people had STIs compared to 1 231 in the second quarter, saying the overall number of cases continues to be high despite efforts by the DHMT to intensify education on STIs. The chairperson also said the district had experienced invasion by elephants at the cattleposts and surrounding areas. He added that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks was trying to sensitise the community about elephant movement, behaviour, safety precautions and compensation through kgotla meetings and educational talks. ENDS