Soaring population, rising CoL and the war

In two days time we shall be observing World Population Day.
As our embattled nation struggles to survive amidst soaring costs of living and a war that continues to drag on, the unprecedented rise in population experienced in recent years, and its attendant problems, has further added to the woes of the people.

While we are by no means trying to compete with our Big Brother India which is the second most populous country in the world with over 1. 1 billion population, it is an undisputed fact that our soaring population compared to what it was a century ago, is a cause for serious concern.

For an island nation which is just 432 km by 224 km in size with a land area of a little over 65,336 sq. km, the current population of 20.1 million is way too high , not just because of the tiny space in which it has to be contained, but because of all the additional basic amenities that a growing population would require.

It does not require an expert to tell you that every additional mouth that has to be fed, needs a corresponding increase in food output; every extra person born in this country will require more land for housing, and every baby born, will need more nutrition, clothing and health care. A look at the state of our drainage system designed for a population of 100,000 persons at the turn of the century but now serving over 2 million population, resulting in constant road flooding and water scarcity: the fact that 50 percent of its residents live in slums on the pavements , and the rise in the number of street gangs comprising mostly unemployed youths, is ample proof of how an uncontrolled population can harm every fabric of our society.

For a country that has been given the distinction of having the lowest birth rates, lowest infant and maternal mortality rates and higher longevity rates (for both males and females) than most Asian countries, why have we failed to contain our runaway population?

The answer probably lies in the significant increase in our ageing population. Although the crude birth rate has shown a decline from 1981, statistics revealed by the Census and Statistics Dept. have shown that the proportion of 60 year olds and over will double between 2000 and 2050 from 10 percent to 20 percent , making this one of the fastest ageing regions in the world.

Significantly, the fastest growing segment of this ‘ grey’ population is said to be those over 80 years old who are said to make up 13 percent of the 60 plus group.

If such projections are accurate, then the need of the hour is not so much population control and a reduction in birth rates, but more geriatric care and services. This means that both the state and private sector would have to pay greater attention to the needs of this particular segment of population. That would necessarily include; affordable housing for elderly persons, hospitals, nursing homes and hospices for the elderly, drugs for chronic age related illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, heart, cataracts, cancer, strokes and food that supplements the nutritional needs of the elderly, extra curricular activities, libraries and even job skills training for those who wish to be self employed.

The state can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to their plight.

Training more people, including new nursing recruits in geriatric care may be one way to solve this problem, besides paving the way for a new avenue of employment for nurses. Encouraging the setting up of ‘ granny flats’ in new housing constructions keeping in mind the special needs of elders, such as ramps, hand rails, lifts and facilities for wheel chairs, along with shopping areas, would also ease the problems of a foreseeable future dominated by a grey population.

Finally, one cannot ignore the fact that we have still to reach our goal of a 100 percent acceptance rate of family planning nation-wide. This failure has resulted in small pockets in remote areas such as Moneragala and Batticaloa where populations are higher than elsewhere, where the message of Famly Planning has not filtered through to the target population. Added to this, many couples still continue to use non scientific, natural methods of family planning, instead of the contraceptive methods freely available to them.

Hopefully, when World Population Day falls this Friday, July 11, these issues will not only be addressed by the relevant authorities, they will be followed up with suitable action, without further delay.

To cite war or cost of living as an excuse for inaction, is not only shortsighted, it can result in disastrous consequences for the future of the nation as a whole.

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