Birth rate twice higher in rural areas in Morocco
Morocco, Culture, 6/10/1998

The birth rate is almost twice higher in rural areas than in urban areas, standing at 4.1 children per woman whereas it is 2.3 children in cities, according to findings of a national survey on mother and child health.

Presenting Tuesday to the media the results of the national survey, Moroccan minister of health, Abdelouahed El-Fassi, said the scientific study was conducted between 1996 and 1997 for a better assessment of the health situation in the country on the basis of which the ministry will develop its planning and programs.

According to the survey, the fecundity (ie birth rate) decrease in the period between 1979 and 1997 was more important in rural areas (- 2.5 children per woman) than in urban areas (- 2.3 children per woman). The findings also revealed that between 1960 and 1997 the proportion of unmarried persons aged between 15 and 19 years and those aged between 20 and 24 years went down respectively from 41 percent to 90 percent and from 6 percent to 62 percent.

Regarding family planning, the rate of contraceptive methods usage stood at 58.8 when the survey was conducted. This rate stands at 65.8 percent in cities against 50.7 percent in countryside. Contraceptive pills are the most widely used method in Morocco with a prevalence rate of 70 percent.

The study also found an improvement of immunization coverage, resulting mainly from the annual vaccination days. Thus, out of 100 children aged between 12 to 23 months, 89 have been immunized against the major killer diseases: 93 pc in urban areas and 85 pc in rural areas.

Concerning mothers health, for 42 percent of deliveries between 1993-1997, the mother went to a doctor at least once, with 69 percent of those in cities and 20 percent in rural areas. Meanwhile, 43 percent of deliveries took place in hospital environment between 1993 and 1997 with the rate standing at 70 percent for urban women and 20 percent for women living in rural areas, Map reported.

Child mortality remains high, as in urban areas 24 out of each 1,000 newborns die in cities and 46 for 1,000 newborns die in rural areas. Neo-natal and post-natal morbidity regressed in the last 16 years by an annual average of 1.5 point.

Mothers death considerably regressed between 1982 and 1997 from 332 to 228 out of 100,000 deliveries. In urban areas, the rate of women who die after giving birth went down from 284 to 125 death cases for each 100,000 births while the regression only stood at 15 percent in rural areas (from 362 to 307).

Part of the "Panarab Project for Child Development", the survey covered 45,000 households in urban and rural areas. Its aim is to provide for each Moroccan province indicators such as fecundity, children-youth mortality, contraception prevalence and the prevalence of health and child health programs.

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