Although global aid has decreased, Togo has managed to increase its health expenditure as a share of GDP to 6.6 percent in 2016, a jump of about 8 percent from the previous year where this amount was actually negative. Due to the scarcity of hospitals and health centers, Togo’s 2018 population of approximately 8.2 million faces numerous obstacles from birth onwards in the battle to survive. Of every 1,000 Togolese infants, 49 will die before they are 1 year old and approximately 69.8 before they reach the age of 5. In addition to infant deaths, the maternal mortality ratio is 396 per 100,000 live births as of 2017. Overall life expectancy in Togo is 69 for females and 63 for males, the 178th worst globally. These 10 facts about life expectancy in Togo demonstrate the changes over time. 

10 Facts About Life Expectancy in Togo

1. Crime: In Togo, the homicide rate was nine cases per 100,000 people in 2015. Compared to the United States, it has 4.1 more cases per 100,000 people. Violent crimes, theft and pick-pocketing are common in marketplaces or along the beach of Lome. There is an abundance of scam artists that fake online friendships to steal or stage accidents to jack cars and there has even been a threat of kidnapping recently. The ECOWAS Regional Action Plan renewed for 2016-2020 to address crime and drug trafficking in West Africa.

2. Sanitation: Most drinking water sources in the urban parts of Togo have improved with only 8.6 percent of urban populations not having access to reliably safe drinking water. In rural areas, however, 55.8 percent of the water sources have remained unimproved. Sanitation facility access has not improved much, either, with 75.3 percent of urban Togo and 97.1 percent of rural Togo having unimproved sanitation facilities. Public toilets are often unavailable as well, and when they are available, they generally range from sit-down and squat toilets to holes in the ground.

3. Disease: As of 2017, Togo’s most prevalent diseases are malaria, neonatal disorders, HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory infection, ischemic heart disease, diarrheal diseases and tuberculosis. HIV/AIDS afflicted approximately 110,000 Togolese or 2.3 percent as of 2017, ranking the country 22nd worst globally. An estimated 4,700 deaths were from HIV/AIDS in 2017, the 43rd worst ranking in the world. It is also common for infants to suffer from diarrhea, one of the main contributors to the infant mortality rate in Togo.

4. Malnutrition: Malnutrition rates exceed 10 percent in three out of five regions in Togo, with 16 percent of children under 5 underweight. Many parents have been relying on feeding their children a simple paste that is filled with vitamins and minerals, called Plumpy’Nut, and has improved the situation of many Togolese children. An agricultural improvement is the development of a drought-resistant, high-yield rice, Nerica, specifically for Africa. For Western Africa, rice is a staple, but to meet nutritional demand, the region needs to import 3.5 million tons of rice per year, which costs nearly $1 billion.

5. Overcrowding: The best example of Togo’s overcrowding problem is its 12 prisons. Though there is a set capacity for these prisons, they end up holding more than twice their capacity. As a result of these cramped conditions, hygiene, food and medical care are poor, and disease and death run rampant. Prisoners reportedly sleep like “sardines in a tin,” and even sleep in shifts, with some waiting for their turn against a wall.

6. Immunization: Immunization coverage among Togolese children is severely incomplete. A study found that 36.2 percent of children did not receive all vaccines that the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) recommends. Togo has a multi-year plan (2016-2020), a national system to monitor adverse events following immunization, and a standing technical advisory group on immunization.

7. Maternal/Neonatal/Child Health: Only 61.4 percent of Togolese births have skilled health personnel in attendance, and as a result, the maternal mortality rate in Togo is 396 deaths/100,000 live births as of 2017. Mothers already have to travel long distances to reach health facilities, and when said places do not have the necessary expertise or medication, they become discouraged from attending any appointments before birth. When these women do not attend regular checkups, health professionals cannot detect problems early on or provide mothers with rudimentary health care.

8. Health Systems: Togo only has 746 health centers, which is approximately 11 health centers per 100,000 people, and only six regional hospitals, which is 0.09 per 100,000 people. There are only 0.05 physicians per 1,000 people as of 2015. This scarcity of health facilities results in overcrowding of existing ones and it stretches health professionals thin. With so few people operating each facility, Togo cannot meet average health standards and thus cannot help people efficiently. Life expectancy could improve in this respect by creating more health centers.

9. Substance Abuse: Togo is a transit point of Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers. There were 2,000 drug users in 2001 (12 deaths), 3,000 in 2006 (68 deaths) and 3,575 in 2007 (100 deaths). Togolese drug use has only increased over time, stretching to 5.5 percent of students. The students consider drugs to be fortifying and have developed a dependency on drugs just for studying.

10. Road Safety: People do not stress road safety in Togo. Many Togolese drivers do not obey traffic laws mostly due to traffic signals not functioning properly, and a lack of reinforcement. Sometimes they run red lights and stop signs or drive in the wrong direction on one-way streets. Not only do these driving standards threaten pedestrians and drivers alike, but they also set the stage for fake accidents.

These 10 facts about life expectancy in Togo show that even the smallest of changes could evolve into much more for the Togolese. The ECOWAS is working diligently to improve the lives of those in West Africa by limiting crime and drug trafficking and abuse. Togolese life expectancy has even increased because of other countries’ efforts.

– Nyssa Jordan
Photo: Flickr