Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has expressed the need for concerned parties to enhance youth sexual and reproductive health in order to reduce school drop outs amongst girls in the country.

Speaking to YFM, MHEN board members, Charity Salima said most of the drop outs by girls are being fuelled by the information gap on sexual reproductive health amongst the youth.

“We must open up as a country, we should not keep messages concerning youth sexual reproductive health under the carpet as long as we keep it like a taboo it will not work, at the end of day our children will come with unwanted pregnancies thereby increasing school drop outs,” Salima said.

She therefore called all stakeholders to champion the issues to be discussed openly in order to reduce unwanted pregnancies to enhance girl child education.

Salima added that government and other stakeholders should open many centres for the youth to access sexual reproductive health services.