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(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) Zimbabwe's life expectancy up

Zimbabwe's life expectancy up
Saturday, 25 August 2012 19:30
Shamiso Yikoniko

Zimbabwe’s life expectancy has risen to 50 years for men and 47 years for women from 37 years following massive improvements in general healthcare and nutrition. According to latest World Health Organi­sation (WHO) statistics, the average Zimbabwean is living longer.

The WHO report does not, however, inter­pret the data. Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr Henry Madzorera said in an interview last week that economic stability and better health delivery have seen the welfare of Zim­babweans improve.

He said malnutrition and high HIV preva­lence were major factors that precipitated the decline of life expectancy from 59,2 years in 1980 to 37 years in 2006.

[How about the destruction of the national currency through economic sanctions? - MrK]

However, most Zimbabweans are now expected to live beyond 37 years largely because of increased access to HIV and Aids therapy as well as better nutrition.
The global life expectancy rate stands at 69,2 years.

“Life expectancy has been rising slowly in Zimbabwe. This is to be expected consider­ing the general improvement in the welfare of the people through economic recovery,” he said.

“Droughts have been pulling us back in terms of nutrition, but, in general, we are bet­ter off than we were a few years ago.

“There have been short-term interventions that have made an impact on survival and longevity in Zimbabwe. These include improvements in the health delivery system, near-universal access to HIV care and treat­ment as well as the all-out war on maternal and child mortality.”

Life expectancy indicates how long a per­son can expect to live. It is read against the mortality rate in a given country.

Dr Madzorera said although Zimbabwe has recorded a major success in this area, there was a need to continue improving hous­ing, transport, education, health, water and sanitation, infrastructure and agricultural services, all factors which are fundamental in stimulating higher life expectancy.

He said the country should also be wary of the fast-emerging threat of non-communica­ble diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

“For the country to match the global life expectancy rate, there is need to be on guard against the emerging epidemic of non-com­municable diseases, which threatens to reverse our gains in the arena of infectious diseases.

“It is the emphasis on the conditions peo­ple are born into, grow, live, work and age that will see us live beyond 70 years on aver­age. Hospitals, clinics, hi-tech medicine and health workers, among others, are all impor­tant. However, they are a form of fire-fighting on behalf of those among us who are unfor­tunate to get sick. As the economy improves, these will also naturally improve.”

Labels: HEALTHCARE

posted by MrK @ 4:48 PM