A recent research on Zimbabwe Mortality Tables has stressed the need for measures that prevent and manage Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) as they have emerged as the leading causes of death in Zimbabwe.
The Mortality tables project spearheaded by the Insurance and Pension Commission (Ipec) sought to have mortality tables that speaks to the Zimbabwean situation.
This comes at a time Zimbabwe has been relying on foreign tables over the years.
The Mortality tables released in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), show that mortality rates in Zimbabwe have been declining over the past few years, with the overall mortality rate falling from 8.5 deaths per 1,000 population in 2015 to 7.4 deaths per 1,000 population in 2020.
However one of the key findings is that the leading causes of death in Zimbabwe are NCDs such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
The development comes at a time when the country's health sector is in shambles with no working cancer machines as well as difficulties in accessing other medications related to NDCs.
"This highlights the importance of measures to prevent and manage NCDs in the country, such as promoting healthy lifestyles and access to quality health care.The mortality in Zimbabwe has generally improved, that is, the number of deaths in the country has decreased and the average life expectancy has increased."read the paper.
Ipec noted that the impact of the new tables on premiums and reserves was assessed against the standard tables from other countries for selected products.
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Overall, the new tables produced lower premiums and reserves than the standard tables.
However, it added that there were still significant disparities in mortality rates between different regions of the country, with rural areas generally experiencing higher mortality rates than urban areas.
IPEC has stated that the factsheet will be updated on a regular basis to provide the most up-to-date information on mortality trends in Zimbabwe.
The release of this new resource is expected to be a valuable tool for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and individuals alike, providing important insights into mortality rates in the country and helping to inform decision-making in a range of areas.
