Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world
Dear Friends,
As some of you know I have been speaking recently about the appalling fact that Zimbabwe now has the lowest life expectancy in the world (women 34 and men 37). Some of you may have wondered whether I had my facts right. It is often hard to graphically illustrate the scale of death in Zimbabwe and as a result the enormity of what is going on is not appreciated by many. In this morning’s Herald newspaper (Government controlled) there is the following little story tucked away:
Most Harare cemeteries almost full.
A critical shortage of burial space is looming in Harare, as most cemeteries are almost full owing to high mortality. A recent report from the Town Planning Department noted that the current active cemeteries, Mabvuku, which is 75 percent full, Warren Hills and Granville A and B were filling up at a very fast rate. At the rate at which people are dying, the four cemeteries may last for only about a year before they fill up.”
This story is just the tip of the iceberg. Cemeteries are filling up throughout the country. But no blood is being split - people are just fading away, dying quietly and being buried quietly with no fanfare - and so there is little international media attention.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) figures released earlier this year have attracted hardly any media attention and yet they should shout out the gravity of the situation for those who care. It is important to note that these figures relate to 2004 since then the situation in Zimbabwe has worsened dramatically. (Link to Annex 1, Basic Indicators for all Member States - WHO Report 2006)
I highlight a few comparative life expectancy figures:
