Tanzania’s fertility rate drops, says report

THE country’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped slightly from 5.6 to 5.4 births per woman by May 2010 this year, the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 2010, preliminary report conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed.

However, the TFR in the rural mainland has remained higher for about 6.1 births per woman compared to 3.7 births per woman in the urban area. Also the fertility in the mainland peaks at the age of between 20 and 25 while in the isles, it starts at the age between 25 and 29.

But in all these ages, the age specific fertility rates are substantially higher for the rural than for urban women. The greatest difference in age specific fertility rates between urban and rural women in mainland occurs at the age between 20 and 24, that is 106 births per 1,000 women.

According to NBS Director General, Dr Albina Chuwa, there has been a down trend in fertility since the early 1990s but with great fluctuations. She made the remarks at the launch of the TDHS preliminary report in Dar es Salaam on Monday.

Dr Chuwa said a change in fertility rate from 6.3 births per woman to 5.4 births per woman in a period of 20 years meaning that there is a decrease of one child, is a major decision reached by couples.

“Reproductive, child and maternal health are good indicators to the country’s social and economic development and have serious and direct implications on the social sustainability of services in the country,” Dr Chuwa remarked.

A demographer with the NBS Mr Ireneus Ruyobia said a decrease in TFR was a step and a positive sign towards achieving country’s development plans.

“With government efforts especially on family planning and investment in education much insistence being on young girls, will definitely help in lowering the TFR, thus achieving the development plans,” Mr Ruyobia said.

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms Blandina Nyoni noted the government was committed to family planning programmes. She said it was encouraging that three tenths of all women or 29 per cent in the country are currently using some methods of contraceptives, where 24 per cent use modern methods and 5 per cent use traditional methods.

According to the TDHS report, the most commonly used modern methods among all women are injectables by 9 per cent, pills by 5 per cent and male condoms by 4 per cent.
Also among married women, about one third or 34 per cent use some methods of contraception, 27 per cent use modern methods and 7 per cent use traditional methods.

The PS observed further that report findings showing decrease of under five mortality rate by 40 per cent from 137 deaths in every 1,000 births, infant mortality from 81 deaths to 51 in every 1,000 births are very encouraging.

Some of the objectives of the TDHS 2010 are to collect high quality data on fertility levels and preferences, family planning use, reproductive, child and maternal health, nutritional status of young children and women and childhood mortality levels.