Maseru, Aug. 19 – The Minister of Health, Mr. Selibe Mochoboroane, has announced the urgent need to prioritise the wellbeing of adolescents and young people in Lesotho, noting that they remain central to the country’s development agenda.
Citing United National Development Population (UNDP) 2022 projections, the Minister said young people aged between 10 and 24 account for nearly a third of the population, 29 percent.
However, despite their significant presence, he expressed concern that they continue to face multiple challenges, including limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, stigma when seeking care, and rising risks linked to HIV and teenage pregnancy.
“Recent statistics reveal that HIV prevalence among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 stands at 3.9 percent, while it rises to 13 percent among young women aged 20 to 24. For boys of the same ages, the rates are 2.5 and 2.4 percent respectively.
Equally troubling is the teenage pregnancy rate, with 17 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 becoming mothers at an early age,” Mr. Mochoboroane highlighted, referencing the 2023 Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS). . .
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