Mchinji District has registered at least 4 155 teen pregnancies from January to March this year, sparking calls for immediate action to reverse the trend.
The revelation came to light on Monday during a constituency awareness meeting organised by Parliament of Malawi with support from the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Project at Chinunda Primary School in Mchinji West Constituency.
The initiative seeks to raise awareness on the causes, consequences and prevention of teenage pregnancies while enhancing parliamentarians’ understanding of SRHR issues affecting their constituencies.
Sadc Parliamentary Forum on SRHR Technical Working Group chairperson Chikondi Chisale described the figures as alarming.
“The statistics are on the rise, which is disappointing. But that is also a reflection of the lack of knowledge on sexual and reproductive health issues in villages,” he said.
Mchinji district commissioner Reinghard Chavula said the district is implementing interventions to address the challenge.
“We are tackling it from different fronts. We encourage parents through various interventions not to allow their children to get married early,” she said.
Mchinji West legislator Rita Sanga Langa (Malawi Congress Party) said the figures exposed the magnitude of the problem in the district.
“We need to think of stiffer punishment, especially for older men targeting younger children,” she said.
Sadc Parliamentary Forum on SRHR Project officer Gomezgani Ngwira Kateka said the meetings seek to equip legislators with knowledge and evidence needed to champion SRHR issues in Parliament.
“This awareness is focusing on empowering MPs to champion reproductive health issues through their representative, oversight and legislative functions,” he said.
Data from Mchinji District Health Office showed that from January to March 2026, the district recorded at least 4 155 teenage pregnancies.
