Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
THE 2022 Population and Housing Census Mortality and Orphaned Preliminary Results have revealed that Matabeleland South Province has the highest average death rate nationally with Harare having the lowest, Cabinet has reported.
In a post cabinet briefing this Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting services Monica Mutsvagwa said:
“The nation is being informed that 121 078 deaths were reported in the 12 months preceding the Census. The average death rate nationally was eight deaths per 1 000. Matabeleland South had the highest rate at 9.7 per 1 000, while Harare had the lowest rate at 5.8 per 1 000.
“The neonatal rate (children dying within the first month of life) was 9.5 deaths per 1 000 live births, while post-neonatal rate (those dying between one month and 11 months) was 14.7 deaths per 1 000 live births. Rural areas had higher rates of neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, child and under 5 mortality deaths than urban areas,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She also revealed that a total of 1 589 maternal deaths were reported during the same period against 437 478 live births, giving a maternal mortality ratio of 363 deaths per 100 000 live births.
The maternal mortality ratio was higher in rural areas at 402 deaths per 100 000 live births, compared to 298 per 100 000 live births in urban areas.
“Regarding registration of deaths at the national level, 41.4 percent of the 121 078 were registered, while 34.8 percent deaths were registered in rural areas and 56.5% of the deaths were registered in urban areas. The proportion of registered deaths was higher for males in both rural and urban areas.
“About 7.7 percent of children aged below 17 years were orphaned, with the prevalence of orphanhood higher in rural areas at 8.4 percent compared to 6.3 percent in urban areas. Paternal orphanhood was much higher than maternal orphanhood,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Meanwhile life expectancy nationally is 64.7 years, with females having a higher life expectancy of 68 years compared with males at 61.2 years. Life expectancy is higher in urban areas at 65.5 years, than in rural areas at 63.3 years.
She said the findings of the study will be used for analysing current demographic conditions as well as determining the prospects of potential changes in mortality conditions in the future while the public health administration also depends heavily on the study of mortality.
The findings will also inform the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public health programmes; for insurance companies to craft insurance policies; and for monitoring regional and international obligations such as Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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