Egypt’s mortality rates at their lowest in 2018: Ministry

CAIRO –7 June 2018: Egypt recorded the lowest mortality rates this year compared to past years, Minister of Health and Population Ahmed Emad el-Din Rady announced on Wednesday.

There have been 57 dead recorded for every 1,000 babies born this year, compared to 65 dead for every 1,000 babies in 2014 figures, Radi announced during a press conference held at the Cabinet following its meeting on Wednesday.

“The decline in the nation’s death rates is a testament to the advancement of health services provided to the citizens, which led to the increase in the average life expectancy,” he added.

A total of 2,540,000 births were registered in Egypt in 2017, the minister added.

In 2005, the country witnessed its lowest birth rate, with nearly 800, 000 babies born that year, while a significant rise in birth rates was observed in 2004, when around 2,700, 0 00 births were registered.


Driven by the above-mentioned figures, Radi expected that population will reach 119, 000,000 by 2030, adding that the government targets to lower the expected birth numbers to 117, 00,000 through the nationwide population-control policy and awareness campaigns.

The minister also pointed out that the registration records of birth/death are now completely automated and e-linked with the CAPMAS for future statistics censuses.

Earlier in May, The Ministry of Social Solidarity officially launched a family planning campaign under the slogan “Two is enough”, aiming to control the dangerously growing population.

The campaign aims to reduce the birth rate to 2.4, targeting rural areas where many view large families as a source of economic strength and resist birth control, believing that it is un-Islamic.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi has repeatedly spoken on the problem of population growth, describing it as a challenge that is as critical as terrorism and a deterrent to any development.

The Egyptian population hit 104.27 million, both domestically and abroad, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics’ (CAPMAS) latest census in 2017. Those living inside the country amount to 94.8 million, while expats are estimated at 9 million, according to statistics from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Additional reporting by Jehad El Sayed