Titus Eleweke
15 August 2007
Lagos — Acting , Head, department of paediatrics , College of medicine Lagos State University (LASU) , Prof. Olisamedua Njokanma has revealed that one out of every five Nigerian children will not live to witness fifth birthday.
Delivering the institution's 34th inaugural lecture series titled: THAT OUR CHILDREN MAY SURVIVE Prof.Njokanma said it is known fact that one out of five Nigerian children will not live to see their fifth birthday.
He said more than half of the number will succumb to death within their first day in the world adding that the problem was not hidden as 'they have been clearly elucidated and articulated over the past five decades."
'It is a shame to note that malaria, malnutrition, respiratory,diarroeal diseases and vaccine-preventable diseases, poliomyelitis and tuberculosis still rank very high among them that maim and kill our children", said Prof Njokanma.
He said childhood mortality rate in the country ranked 13th worst in the world with Nigeria far behind Ghana and South Africa.
He also attributed high child mortality rate to poor supervision of pregnant women in the country adding that state of facilities do not encourage professionals to put in their best to the service of child-care delivering.
He also identified poor planning of basic health framework, poverty, ignorance, emigratoin of top ranking medical personnel in 1980s and 90s and continued emigration of young ones as the major causes of children mortality in our country.
Prof. Njokanma stated that the Federal Ministry of Health was aware of these problems militating against Nigeria child but the government lacks the political will to put things in order to end child mortality in the country.
He said the first step in child to life is the first breath and that of sustaining it, advised that all health workers at the maternity to always make efforts at seeing that children are taking proper care at birth.
He called for increased allocation to the health sector especially primary health care from all tiers of government so as to boost child healthcare in the country.
Prof. Njokanma added that free and accessible health care delivery is possible in the country, If only corruptions is eradicated in the system.
"Government can afford to it and we must demand for it" he added.
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