DEATH rates in Bahrain are low compared with global figures, according to the latest statistics announced for the first time yesterday.
Information and eGovernment Authority (eGA) general directorate of statistics and population registry social and environment statistics acting director Maha Sabt said maternal mortality is 14.6 compared with 226 per 100,000 live births worldwide.
In addition, preventable deaths among people aged below five years are eight compared with 44 per 1,000 births, while the death rate from injuries sustained in traffic accidents was 4.9 compared with 73.4 per 100,000 people globally.
Ms Sabt presented the information during a meeting organised by the Premier’s Court on Bahrain’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030 at Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research, Muharraq.
A lecture on ‘Achieving Sustainable Development in the Middle East … Challenges and Opportunities’ was given by one of the world’s leading experts on economic development and the fight against poverty Professor Jeffrey Sachs.
The American economist, academic, public policy analyst and former director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York is Professor of Sustainable Development at the university’s School of International and Public Affairs.
The GDN reported last week that life expectancy in Bahrain had increased by 27 years since 1978.
Health Ministry Under-Secretary Dr Waleed Al Manea said at a regional forum on Wednesday that life expectancy in 1978 was 53 years, but it has now risen to 77.5 for men and 80 for women.
Benefits
Yesterday Ms Sabt said literacy in Bahrain was at 97.5 per cent of the population aged 15 and above.
“Around 84pc of the population have sent e-mails with attached files, while 75pc transferred files between computers and other devices,” she explained. “Unemployment has declined to around 4pc in the last 10 years and Bahrain’s economy grew by 1.6pc from the previous year.
“Tamkeen (Labour Fund) has over 330 different initiatives with more than 230,000 Bahraini individuals and businesses benefiting to date.”
She added that 100pc of the population benefits from access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services.
“The household average income increased by 47pc over the past 10 years.
“This is accompanied with 31pc of total government spending going towards essential services.”
Supreme Council for Environment environmental planning director Suzan Ajjawi said Bahrain was committed to achieving environmental goals.
She said that “100pc of the population had access to electricity with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology”.
“A national plan that seeks to include renewable energy with a rate of 5pc of the total energy consumption by 2025 and 10pc by 2035 has been placed in 2018.
Targets
“In 2018, six natural marine reserves were declared and they comprise 21pc of the total marine environment, which exceeds the ‘Aichi Biodiversity Targets’, named after the Japanese prefecture where the protocol was adopted in 2010.
“We are currently updating the national diversity strategy and action plan, which runs from 2016 until next year, as we address biodiversity threats in the environment, particularly marine.”
Ms Ajjawi said continuous studies on environmental challenges were being undertaken.
“We have a fragile environment with limited resources, rapid population growth and challenging lifestyle, climate change and impeding impacts, enabling technology transfer and building national capacity, while we also seek international funding.
“The government adopted in 2018 a National Efficiency Plan that contains 22 initiatives and aims to enhance electricity efficiency by 6pc.
Adaptation
“We are also working on an action plan for climate change adaptation which would be ready by the end of this year.”
In his lecture, Prof Sachs said technology could resolve so many problems and create many others.
“The economic ramifications of technology are high as jobs would go away, but there are practical solutions if, for example, solar energy is turned into green power.
“Bahrain could become a superpower of green energy just from the sun – harnessing solar energy and the electrification of an industry could lead to Bahrain exporting solar power. If Bahrain needs a strategy, I could be your ambassador, as China is interested in such technology.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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