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Population growth baffles govt, donors

Scared is the reaction of the Malawi Government and its development partners to projections that the country’s population will rise to 40 million by 2040.

Ministry of Health Principal Secretary MacPhail Magwira expressed the concern in Lilongwe yesterday during the launch of the 2016 to 2020 Malawi Coasted Implementation Plan for Family Planning (CIP).

Magwira: It is within that context that government is doing everythiing possible
Magwira: It is within that context that government is doing everythiing possible

The plan seeks to increase modern family planning methods for married and sexually active women aged between 15 and 24 from 35 percent to 60 percent by 2020.

Magwira said if the country cannot manage to sustain its population, presently projected at 17 million, 40 million people in 2040 should be scary.

He said: “It is within this context that government is doing everything possible to increase coverage of family planning services to all Malawians who are sexually active through private and public partnerships.”

However, Magwira said by creating a family planning budget in the main drug budget, government thsrough his ministry has shown political will to support family planning.

In her remarks, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) assistant representative Dorothy Nyasulu urged government and fellow donors to strive towards Malawi’s goal of reaching 60 percent contraceptive prevalence rate for all women of reproductive age from the current 33 percent.

However, USAid health office director Peter Halpert said rapid population growth in the country is a serious concern as it puts a strain on already stretched sectors, including health, agriculture, education and economic development.

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One Comment

  1. Yes the rapid population growth is extremely worrying for Malawi but I fear that increasing measures to help ensure uptake of family planning methods will not be successful until the people can have some sort of reassurance that sufficient nutrition and adequate Health care for their children is likely to get them past five years old. If by having large families one can hope for the survival of a few then that’s what will be done.

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