The rates of child births in Uganda should be of major concern

trueBy Dr. Denis Akankunda Bwesigye

At this year’s International Community of the Banyakigenzi Convention (ICOB), held August 2014, from Washington DC, I was one of the guest speakers.

I presented a paper titled “the impact of high population growth on youth entrepreneurship in Uganda.”
I elaborated the socioeconomic imperatives of Uganda’s high population growth rates and called on the Government to urgently promote family planning services nationwide.

My presentation was met with checks and balances by some high ranking politicians that included Hon. General Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, who echoed that he considered Uganda to be underpopulated.

The General Muhwezi reiterated that Uganda’s geographical size was almost the same size as that of United Kingdom, which has a population of 64.1 million, nearly twice (36.9 million) that of Uganda.

Indeed, I implored UK’s population density to be 264 compared Uganda’s 153 people per square kilometer, which shows Uganda to be less densely populated than UK.

This far, I agree with Muhwezi, who in addition, challenged the ICOB audience never to lose sight of the progress the current leadership has brought to Uganda over the last 30 years.

However, comparing Uganda with United Kingdom presents to us the popular puzzle of likening apples with oranges. Uganda’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita per person is $1,140 whereas Britain’s is thirty times ($35,800) more.
This article is not intended to dwell on comparisons between Uganda and United Kingdom, but rather to draw attention to the need for our government to urgently rethink the country’s population policies.

trueFrom left: Dr. Muniini K. Mulera, Dr. Denis A. Bwesigye, Gen. Jim M. Katugugu and Mr. Robert Kabushenga

As of 2013, Uganda was reported to have the world’s 2nd highest population growth of 3.5% annually, implying that there are 1,291,500 children added to the country’s population annually.

Exactly 84% of the country’s population is within the ages of 10 to 24 and Uganda is also regarded by the World Bank to be number one country with the world’s youngest population. This situation implies a high child and youth dependency-burden born by families and the country overall.

Uganda's population will continue to grow because of the large number of people who are either currently of reproductive age or those that will soon enter that age group.

Most developed and middle income countries provide a welfare fund to poor families as a form of economic safety-net to cover basic life necessities, for example, through food stamps, housing, medical aid, including other basic human basic needs.

For Uganda, however, the poor and child-burdened families do not receive any government aid but are rather left to fend for themselves.

Perhaps this in part, explains why our government leaders do not seem to understand the burden faced by majority of Ugandan families arising from uncontrolled child births.

His Excellency, President Yoweri Museveni continues to promote a pro-population growth policy, with the argument that a larger population creates a larger market and increases economic dividends; not recognising that Uganda has one of the lowest Gross National Income per capita in the world.

Having a bigger, yet poor population does not translate in an expanded market size because a vast majority of Ugandans do not have an economically viable purchasing power.

Curiously, the total fertility rates (the average number of children born to each woman) in neighbouring, yet culturally similar countries like Kenya and Tanzania, have consistently remained lower (4.5 and 5.4 respectively) yet Uganda’s remain 6.7 as of 2013, according to the 2013 World Population data sheet.
 

Uganda's continued rapid population growth, according to the United Nations is projected to reach 105.6 by 2050, and a half of which is projected at a median age of 20 or younger.
 

If fertility remains at 6.7 for the next three to four decades, Uganda's population could be as high as 145 million by 2050, and will have the same youthful structure as the current one.
 

Many reputable international and local bodies have warned about Uganda’s population growth rates. The United Nations’ Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in Uganda, urges that Ugandan government would save up to $118m every year in costs associated with unplanned pregnancies, had the country scaled up family planning across by educating married couples about the importance of using modern contraception.
 

To address this challenge, Uganda will need to focus not only on promoting family planning to slow the birth rates, but also to undertake investments that will help develop an educated labour force and create jobs to sustain and increase its recent economic growth. Lest, the country risks experiencing a 'demographic disaster' if the current child births are not matched with improvements in the quality social services.


The writer is the Deputy Director – sidHARTe Program of Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York.