PNG population growth is a ‘time bomb’, warns professor

Professor Glen Mola, who teachers obstetrics and gynaecology, said he population increase of 300,000 people annually has the potential to destroy the country.

There are 400,000 births every year and about 100,000 deaths.

Dr Mola told The National newspaper there are population pressures suffered every day, such as women giving birth on the floors of labour wards, and people dying on the floors of emergency departments because of a lack of space.

He also talked about what he called “demographic entrapment”, citing the growing numbers of street kids, beggars, the environmental degradation, plus crime, corruption and dependency.

Dr Mola said many people will struggle to survive.

“The country’s rapid population growth is a national emergency,” he was quoted by The National.

“It has the potential to destroy our nation and it is lookming as an issue for the next generation.”

The PNG government is organising a census this year – the first in 11 years – and it is expected to reveal a population in excess of 10 million, with projection that that will double by 2050.

At the time of PNG’s independence in 1975 the population was less that 3 million.