unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (09/19/89)
National population conference opens in kenya Posting Date: 09/18/89 Source: UNITEX Network, Hoboken, NJ, USA Host: (201) 795-0733 ISSN: 1043-7932 Xinhua News Agency, SEPTEMBER 13, 273 words, DATELINE: nairobi) kenyan president daniel arap moi today warned his countrymen that economic progress will not lead to the improvement of people's life if the current population growth of 3.8 percent continues. opening the second national leaders' population conference here, president moi called for cooperation from ordinary people with the government's family planning programme, saying that the greatest challenge his government faces today is to influence the attitude of the kenyan people towards having smaller families. he attributed the rapid population increase to reduced child mortality rate and longer life expectancy. the number of deaths among infants under the age of one year has declined from 184 per thousand in 1948 to an estimated current figure of 80 while life expectancy has risen from 35 years to 54 today. kenya's population has been growing at an annual rate of 3.8 percent since 1979. the population is estimated at 23.5 million at present. if the trend continues, the population would be 35 million by the end of the century. president moi said although the fertility rate among kenyan women dropped from 7.7 in 1984 to 6.7 this year, it is still much too high. he called on kenyans to intensify family planning. also addressing the three-day conference today was kenyan vice-president george saitoti who noted that the country's economy must achieve an annual growth rate of 5.6 percent by the year 2000 in order to provide the basic needs to the fast growing population. over the past three years, kenya's economy has been growing at an average annual rate of 5.1 percent. * Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501) --- Patt Haring | United Nations | FAX: 212-787-1726 patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information | BBS: 201-795-0733 patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange | (3/12/24/9600 Baud) -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-