BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
THE birth rate of Solomon Islands has increase to 2.3 percent as of last year, it is reported. This is likened to 39 babies per day.
A report by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services revealed based on figures from the last population and housing census, it is estimated the 2017 population for Solomon Islands is 620,084 people.
With country’s demographic population, Solomon Islands has a relatively young age structure with a medium age of 22 years in 2015.
Around 41 percent of the population is aged less than 15 years, 49 percent 15 to 49 years and only 10 percent aged 50 years and above, according to the MHMS report.
“Compared regionally, men and women in the Solomon’s now live almost as long as in other countries,” MHMS said.
In terms of the level of urbanisation, the report highlights Solomon Islands sits at 22 percent and the urban population grows at five percent per annum, more than twice the overall rate of population growth.
The challenges facing the government has thus doubled; servicing a widely dispersed and remote set of rural communities while responding to the pressures of urban growth.
Moreover, the nine province range in both population size and health outcomes with considerable variation within the country.
In terms of life expectancy at birth, Solomon Islands has increased up to 68 years for males and 71 years for females in 2015 (from 61 and 62 years respectively in 1999).
However, while having a relatively high level of health expenditure in the region, Solomon Islands remains one of the poorest countries in terms of GDP per capita.
