Male infertility and population control

THE EDITOR, Sir,

I WRITE in response to a letter which appeared in The Gleaner on Wednesday September 5, 2001, captioned 'Concerned about male infertility'. The writer seemed to be in shock over how lightly the media has handled the revelation by fertility specialist Dr. Fredericks that over 50 per cent of Jamaican males are infertile. Indeed when I shared the letter with the men at my male-dominated workplace, it generated much laughter.

In this country where the population is constantly outgrowing the available resources, if over 50 per cent of our males are unable to reproduce after their own kind, it would do a great deal to ease the pressure on taxpayers and the government. If we were to look at the amount of our women who have been encouraged to and who have willingly done tubal ligation in an effort to ease the pressure off themselves and the country and yet, the population is still exploding, why then should we be perturbed if over 50 per cent of our males have sported lifestyles that now render them infertile? It is not a cause for alarm.

In fact, this just might be one major form of population control for the country ­ and how welcome. If we were to calculate the death rate of those infected with AIDS, those murdered, those killed in accidents, those who die of natural causes and may I add, those who are homosexuals and have no need to reproduce their own kind, and add that to the over 50 per cent who are infertile, then it might seem like in the not too distant future, women will be sitting with idle hands wanting a baby to hold and nurture and have no man to impregnate them. But really, this will not be the case. As for the wake-up call that we face possible extinction ­ please! Get real. This train of thought is utter rubbish. There is no need for alarm and concern.

When those fertile Jamaican men see or feel the need to pump more children into the country to prevent extinction, they will. The few who can't will have more than enough help from those who can.

After all, there comes a time when they'll heed that certain call.

I am etc,

ANDREA SMALL

andreasmall2000@yahoo.com

Claremont Heights

Old Harbour P.O.

Via Go-Jamaica

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