A report by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has revealed that Zimbabwean men are dying more than women throughout all age groups.
The ZimStat report was based on the 2022 population and housing census.
It revealed that 120 070 deaths were recorded during the census with 53.6% of the dead being men and 46.4% being women.
The national sex ratio at birth was 103 males per 100 females.
According to ZimStat’s 2022 preliminary national census results, females constitute the majority of the population, numbering 7 889 421 or 52%, compared to the male population of 7 289 588 (48%).
ZimStat also established that life expectancy for females now stands at 68 years compared to male life expectancy which is 61.2 years. Reads the report:
A total of 120 070 deaths were recorded during the census. Male deaths constituted 53.6% of the total deaths recorded during the census.
Throughout all age groups, males had higher mortality rates compared to females.
Speaking to NewsDay, Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike women and children are prioritised in the provision of primary health care. He said:
There is a particular focus in primary healthcare on women and children due to their vulnerability and the fact that their ill health affects the wider community.
Apart from the general inputs that all people need for health, women also need services to support safe reproductive health, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of infections such as HIV, child delivery and care, including nutrition during pregnancy.
The spread of health information, improvement of nutrition, safe living and community environments are key to disease prevention amongst men.
Prevention and management of common diseases also depends on early detection and treatment.
We are also aware that unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking cigarettes and alcohol abuse are a lot more prevalent in men compared to women.
More: Pindula News