EDITORIAL The future of transfusion and Africa
T
he number of people on Earth is expected to dramatically increase in the next few decades. Based on current trends, world population, which passed 7 billion in 2011, is expected to reach 9 billion in just 25 years and peak at 11 billion in 2050. Nearly all this growth will occur in economically less-developed nations. Fertility rates in wealthy nations are low and life expectancy is high and neither is expected to substantially change; in contrast, life expectancy in disadvantaged nations is expected to increase from current levels (
T
he number of people on Earth is expected to dramatically increase in the next few decades. Based on current trends, world population, which passed 7 billion in 2011, is expected to reach 9 billion in just 25 years and peak at 11 billion in 2050. Nearly all this growth will occur in economically less-developed nations. Fertility rates in wealthy nations are low and life expectancy is high and neither is expected to substantially change; in contrast, life expectancy in disadvantaged nations is expected to increase from current levels (
