Baby boom, a ‘time bomb’

By JESHER TILTO
THE increase in our population by about 300,000 persons annually has been described as a “time bomb” which is affecting the country’s development, Professor Glen Mola says.
“The country’s rapid population growth is a national emergency,” he said.
“It has the potential to destroy our nation and it is looming as an issue for the next generation.
“There are about 400,000 births and 100,000 deaths each year. Therefore, the population increases by about 300,000 each year.”
Mola, the head of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of PNG’s School of Medicine and Health Science and at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH), shared his thoughts on the country’s population growth and development during a seminar at the National Research Institute in Port Moresby yesterday.
“There are population pressures faced by the people each day, such as women now delivering on the floor of the labour wards of hospitals, and people are dying on the floor of emergency departments because of a lack of space,” he said.
“There are many signs of demographic entrapment in our society today, such as the number of street kids, beggars, environmental degradation, crime, corruption, aid dependency and many other issues in the country.
“This results in the economy producing too few exports in exchange for sufficient food, fuel and medicines. And the gap between population and resources becomes wider.
“Many people will struggle to survive and won’t be able to make it.
“Time is running out and the population time bomb could explode.”
A national census this year is expected to determine the total population which some estimate to be well over 10 million.
Mola said that the country’s population was expected to reach more than 20 million by 2050 based on the current population trend.
“The current population is estimated to be about 10 million but it could be more.
“If the population increases to that kind of level, it will stress the nation’s ability to cope.”
Mola suggested that proper family planning methods were not only important for the health of mothers and babies, but also for managing the country’s population better.
“Between 150 and 200 women line up outside the PMGH antenatal clinic every morning,” he said.
“However, there are not many women that visit the family planning clinic. Only 30 per cent of women use any of the family planning methods.
“We have to plan for the future because that is what planning is all about.”
Meanwhile, NRI director Dr Osborne Sanida said the increase in population, from an economic standpoint, would be seen as an opportunity to increase the country’s labour force but only minimal employment opportunities were available.