In November 2022, the global population will reach 8 billion. Various factors have led to this rapid growth of population, such as healthcare advancements, improved living standards, and low mortality rates. As much as we’d like to celebrate these achievements, we just can’t overlook the potential damage that is hovering over our heads due to the population crisis. The sustainability of life on Earth is becoming more challenging, day by day.

Overpopulation is a serious issue, particularly considering that our natural resources are being drained at an unsustainable rate. We are already facing the consequences of overpopulation including poverty, a rise in unemployment, and water scarcity to name a few. It is imperative to address the impact of the population explosion on nature and society as a whole.

The expanding populace also sheds light on issues pertaining to pregnancy, childbirth, gender equality, and maternal wellbeing more than ever. We must encourage each other to opt for smaller families and empower those who don’t have that choice. Eight billion people means 8 billion opportunities for healthier societies empowered by rights and choices!

It’s about time that we practice and advocate the importance of family planning and the use of contraception. This will help each individual to make informed decisions. Further measures to control population growth needs to be put in action to avoid catastrophic results. Here’s to moving towards a healthy and resilient Pakistan together!

PSI in Pakistan

PSI Pakistan and its local implementing partners - Greenstar Social Marketing (GSM), Health and Nutri­tion Development Society (HANDS), and the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN), implement the social marketing and community mobilisation component of the “Delivering Accele­rated Family Planning in Pakistan” (DAFPAK) programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). MOMENTUM Private Healt­hcare Delivery (MPHD) is another project that PSI Pakistan is engaged in, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The team operates in rural and urban areas, working through private providers, in partnership with the public and commercial sectors to remedy the population crisis through the increase of male engagement in family planning, improvements in maternal and newborn health and reduction of unintended and high-risk pregnancies.

Message

Ayesha Leghari
Country Director

IT’S 2022, health-tech and interventions have made leaps and bounds over the past few decades. Pakistan may still be lagging behind in terms of advancement, but one may say that the efforts of the health sector have led to a reduction in child mortality, maternal deaths and an increase in life expectancy (World Bank); culminating in a steadily growing population. While these are significant achievements, we aren’t ready to celebrate just yet.

There is still much room for improvement in nationwide infrastructure and sustainability — there shouldn’t be more people than we can feed and clothe. This applies to all developing countries as a whole, down to each nuclear family. With inflation rising exponentially in addition to unending political instability, we must plan our futures carefully. This is an on-going effort; awareness and the implementation of family planning in Pakistan is needed now, more than ever before.

The population crisis is not an isolated issue; it’s affecting all of us. Hence, we need to tackle this together, as a nation. We need to think carefully about the size of our families and urge people around us to do the same. This problem will not go away on its own, we need to actively work towards its solution. It can start with simple conversations at home, with our friends and in the workplace. Charity begins at home, and so does family planning.