Rotary Club International have expressed worry at the high rate of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the country especially among adolescents.

The organisation lamented that unsafe abortion, unwanted pregnancies and STIs rates in the Nigeria is still one of the highest in the world.

It identified lack of adequate knowledge on reproductive health by adolescents in the country as a major cause of the poor indices.

The organization stated this during a courtesy call to the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Daniel Umezuruike in Abakaliki, the state capital.

A member of Rotary Club Abakaliki, Prof. Perpertus Ibekwe, in an opening remark said the organisation has vowed to fight the scourge in the country through advocacy and adolescents enlightenment project.

According to him, the organisation has approved a grant for the project through its global grants.

Prof. Ibekwe remarked that Ebonyi and Osun states have been chosen as pilot states for the project in the country.

He said: “According to the National Demographic Health Survey, Nigeria's contraceptive prevalence rate is still hovering between 14 to 16 percent.

“Unsafe abortion in Nigeria is still OK be of the highest in the world. There is still a high incidence of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections in the country.

“Our youths know so much about the negative aspect of reproductive health and we intend to change that through this project.”

Rotarian Adekunle Are said the grant is domiciled under the Rotary Club Ibadan Jericho Metro branch with partnership coming from Rotary Club in Germany.

Mr. Are, who is the past President of the Ibadan Jericho Metro branch, said an Apex Project Committee has been set up to ensure strict implementation of the project in the two states.

He solicited the support of the state government to ensure a successful implementation of the two years projects.

Mr. Are, who is the Secretary of the Implementation Committee, noted that a successful implementation of the project may lead to expansion of the project in the country as well attract more interventions from Rotary Club to the state.

Responding, Dr. Umezuruike, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chris Achi, promised the cooperation of the state government to ensure successful implementation of the project.

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