Waiting for Yemens population explosion [Archives:2002/31/Health]

BY ISMAEL AL-GHABERY
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
A week seldom passes without having some sort of reminder of Yemens most challenging and critical problem ever: population growth. The real image of population growth in Yemen is frightening and painful. With an annual increase of about 3.7% -a baby per minute-, scientists predict that by 2025 the total population of Yemen will easily reach 30 millions.
Today, Yemen holds two records. The first of being the fastest growing country on earth and the second is held by its women who are -by far- the most frequent birth-giving women on this planet. With 60% of its total population consisting of children, the worst days are yet to come because unemployment rates will continue to climb because the country will fail to provide jobs and sources of living for millions of people.
Yemens developmental progress will be at stake because of the impossibility to cope with the increasing number of citizens to serve. The government continues to receive warnings from global, regional, and local bodies that the countrys future will be in danger if this rate continues. Within the last one and a half decade Yemens total population had doubled causing tremendously harsh economic conditions to the majority of Yemenis.
Besides population growth, another dangerous aspect is migration from rural to urban areas. The government has already admitted that it is facing a crisis in trying to serve so many people in the cities, which cannot absorb more people. For instance, medical services in public hospitals have gone through a recession resulting in a greater number of diseases and miseries, especially among the poor who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals. The same applies to education as illiteracy rates are slowly rising because of the lack of qualified teachers to teach millions of emerging students every year while unemployment rates are soaring to tremendous peaks as thousands of new graduates from different universities end up jobless or immigrate.
Another eye-catching problem is the shortage of electricity supplies as the countrys electricity generation capabilities have fallen short to satisfy half of the population. The lack of drinking water, which is the basic element of life anywhere on earth, is yet the most frightening of all. Taking Yemens dry lands into consideration and assuming the current increase of the populations demand of water, Yemens internal cities underground water basins will dry up resulting in a humanitarian crisis that may lead to starvation.
So as we can easily see that the issue is serious and requires due attention from our officials, who have unfortunately shown little concern. Awareness must be spread among the different groups of the society through public radio and TV, educational material and other means that should include tips on family planning and birth control.
In brief, a long-term strategy should be drafted and implemented as quickly as possible. What has been heard lately about some efforts by establishments, such as the National Population Council is encouraging. But words need to be followed by deeds by the government.
Yemen is currently at a crossroads. It will either go to prosperity and progress or to destruction and chaos. It is up to our government to decide where to go, and it surely will be responsible if the Yemeni nation suffers tremendously if wrong decisions are taken. It will also be responsible even if right decisions are taken too late.

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