Rising Teenage Pregnancies in Jorhat's Tea Gardens Raise Alarm
Public Health Crisis in Jorhat
Jorhat, June 15: A troubling public health issue is emerging in the tea garden regions of Jorhat, where an increasing number of underage girls are being hospitalized due to complications related to pregnancy. Experts attribute this alarming trend to the intertwined problems of child marriage and a lack of awareness.
Data from the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) indicates that from January to June of this year, approximately 45 to 50 minor girls have sought maternity care at the facility. This statistic has raised significant concerns among healthcare providers and local residents.
The situation became evident on Saturday when a Class X student from the Mariani area was admitted to JMCH with pregnancy-related complications and is currently under medical observation.
Dr. Manab Gohain, Superintendent of JMCH, stated, “The majority of the girls admitted this year hail from Jorhat and Golaghat districts, with a notable portion being minors. Early pregnancies pose severe risks for both the mother and the child, potentially leading to complications such as eclampsia, premature delivery, low birth weight, respiratory problems, and abnormal brain development in newborns.”
He further explained that JMCH routinely checks the ages of young patients suspected of being minors in pregnancy cases.
“We often request age verification, as some individuals attempt to falsify records. Even without documentation, we can usually assess a girl’s age based on physical development. If there’s any uncertainty, we insist on official age verification and promptly report the case to the authorities,” Gohain added.
This disturbing trend has raised widespread alarm in the district, with community members expressing concern over the increasing rates of teenage pregnancies, which are viewed as a direct result of child marriages.
Local residents report that many of these girls, still in school from Classes VII to X, are believed to have been victims of child marriage over the last 18 months.
Deepak Tanti, a representative of the All Assam Tea Tribes’ Students Association (ATTSA), noted that despite strict laws and awareness initiatives in schools, the issue of child marriage continues to persist.
Tanti also highlighted the unregulated use of mobile phones among teenagers as a contributing factor. “Today’s youth are exposed to a lot through their devices. Many parents are unaware of the harmful content their children access, and this overexposure has serious implications,” he remarked.
He called for immediate government action, advocating for targeted awareness campaigns aimed at parents and guardians. “Without families understanding the dangers of child marriage and teenage pregnancy, significant change will remain out of reach,” Tanti emphasized.
The Assam government has adopted a stringent approach against child marriage, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently reaffirming the government’s commitment to eliminate the practice from the state by 2026.
Official statistics reveal that Assam has experienced an 81% reduction in child marriages across 20 of its 35 districts between 2021–22 and 2023–24.
However, the increasing number of pregnancies among minors in Mariani has raised serious concerns among locals and the medical community, prompting questions about the effectiveness of the crackdown in tea garden areas.