LETTER: Time for SA to expand access to family planning

In 1798 Thomas Malthus wrote in his Essay on the Principle of Population: “Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometric ratio while subsistence only increases in a mathematical ratio”. This pronouncement must rank as one of history’s most memorable quotations.

Enlarging on the profundity of these words, Malthus predicted then a perpetual struggle for room and food, caused by exponential population growth in the midst of linear growth of food. These sentiments of wisdom were written in the midst of a global population explosion, led then by China, India and the Islamic nations.

Today these nations, realising the economic, social and political hazards of uncontrolled expansion of population growth, took control of the situation by introducing intensive measures to control their burgeoning growth. This leaves, as Neil Munshi says in his article, Sub-Saharan Africa — and this would include SA — as currently having the highest fertility rates globally ("High fertility rates keep a brake on development in West Africa”, November 2).

The SA government talks about too few hospitals, too few doctors, too few schools, too few teachers, but as Malthus may have said perhaps there are enough hospitals, doctors, schools and teachers but too many people!

It is time SA faces up to the elephant in the room and follows the example set by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari in establishing a National Council on Population Management to address the country’s high fertility rate by upgrading and expanding access to family planning.

Stan Sandler
Constantia

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