Browsing: Coronavirus and teen pregnancy

By Julia Greenland – CEO, In Their Hands

Living in Africa, I have watched the explosion of COVID 19 in Asia, Europe and America like a horror movie. We watched as country after country introduced social distancing measures too late and thousands of cases emerge. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking – what will happen when it reaches us, with our small number of ventilators and millions without running water?

So, like everyone else, I have been relieved to see East Africa’s governments respond quickly – closing schools, limiting entry and restricting movement.

Yes, we are doing the right things, implementing preventative measures – but we must be prepared for the unexpected consequences of CODIV 19. After all this isn’t the first time African countries have faced widespread school closures and an economic slow down due to an outbreak.

In Sierra Leone, a UNDP study found a …