Population 7 Billion- A time for the right questions?

[Dr Sima Barmania BMdsci MBBS MPH]

Today marks the much anticipated advent of the estimated day when seven billion people will inhabit the Earth, according to the United Nations Population Fund who have just published their latest report – State of the World population 2011- ‘People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion’.

In fact, the announcement of the birth of the “seven billionth baby” has already been proclaimed in Manila, Philippines with the arrival of Baby Danica May Camacho.

However, the debate in some parts of the media over the past few weeks have been rather accusatory, polemic and have focussed on the numbers rather than an opportune time for constructive discussion.

Dr Chris Lemoh, a consultant infectious disease physician specialising in refugee health in Melbourne, Australia explains: “I always thought each First World baby consumes more resources than one born in poor countries. Yet all the media is about the teeming masses in poor countries”.

Continued in the Independent at..

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/10/31/population-7-billion-a-ti...

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