Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the fertility rate in TT has again decreased, going from 1.2 in 2023 to 0.9 in 2022. He said the rate needed to keep renewing the population of a country is 2.1.
Deyalsingh made the announcement at the maternity ward of the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital while speaking to the media after visiting the babies who had been born on Christmas Day.
He said the total fertility rate was the number of births per women aged 15-49 years. He said in 2015, there were 18,261 live births, with a fertility rate of 1.8, while in 2023, there had been 12,768 live births, which gave a fertility rate of 1.2. He said between January and November 2024, there had been 9,794 live births, with a fertility rate of 0.9.
Deyalsingh said he did not want to comment on the figures.
“I’m just sharing the statistics with the media and hopefully you can spark some sort of national discussion. Please do not ask me what the solution is, I am not here to give you solutions, I am just presenting data, facts.”
Asked what the problem was with the lowering fertility rate, he said,
“We have gone from a fertility rate of 1.8 to a fertility rate of 0.9. I don’t have the answer. The replacement rate to keep the population steady is 2.1 and year-to-date it is 0.9.”
Deyalsingh was asked if he thought it was a socio-economic issue where people were reluctant to bring children into the world without being able to take care of them. He replied,
“I am not going down that road. I am giving you data, that’s all I’m doing this morning, giving you data as I do every year. The media asked me to share the data, as I always do, so I’m just sharing the data, that’s all I’m doing. I’m sharing the data for the media and national community to be aware.
“I am just presenting data. I am not editorialising, I’m not making any comments, all I am doing is presenting data for the national community. I have nothing more to say”
Deyalsingh congratulated the mothers who had given birth and thanked the healthcare workers for their service.
The Health Minister was asked about claims by the Private Pharmacy Business Retail Association (PPBRA) that there are shortages of some pharmaceutical drugs in TT, including some types of painkillers.
He said, “I am not responsible for shortages in the private sector. I am responsible for the public sector. It is so unfortunate that media runs with these things. I give data to show that all drug applications are current. When others speak, they give absolutely no data. I give data, I give facts.”
On December 23, appearing on the CNC3's The Morning Brew show, PPBRA executive member Steve Lalchan said neither morphine nor Pethidine [a strong opioid pain-relief medicine] were present in the country, as well as Panadeine F [to relieve moderate to severe pain and fever].
Deyalsingh was asked if he was concerned about the severe Sahara dust concentration which was present and expected to continue over the next few days. The EMA said the concentration present on December 24 was unhealthy for ev
