At least 19,000 children out of 195,000 die every year before their fifth birthday in Niger State as a result of child killer diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea, a Survey has said.
The Government, however, worried by the recent survey over the weekend inaugurated a committee that will ensure the drastic reduction in the unfavourable Childhood (U-5) Morbidity and Mortality.
According to the Nigerian Demographic Health Survey (NDHS 2013), Niger State has the third highest burden of childhood pneumonia among the seven North Central States in Nigeria.
The Survey claimed that nearly six million children under the age of five die every year globally mainly from preventable causes.
Most of these deaths are caused by pneumonia and diarrhea, the major killers of young children.
While inaugurating the Niger State Action Committee on Childhood Killer Diseases via a Virtual meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Health, Dr. Joseph Kolo, over the weekend said the State Government is worried and concerned about the lives of children and would do its best to save their lives.
The Committee, which has Dr. Ibrahim Dangana, Executive Director, State Primary Healthcare Care Development Agency, as Chairman, has Dr. Idris Mohammed, Director, Public Health as Co-Chairman; Pharm Patrick Gimba, IMCI Coordinator, as Secretary; Dr. Aliyu Yabagi Shehu, Programme Director, CCRHS-PAS; and 26 others as Members.
It was unanimously agreed that there is need to ensure drastic reduction in the unfavourable Childhood (U-5) Morbidity and Mortality from preventable Pneumonia and Diarrhoea in Niger State.
Speaking earlier, team Leader of Niger State PAS Partners and Project Director, Centre for Communication and Reproductive Health Services, Dr. Aliyu Yabagi Shehu, said the team was ready to support the State Government in ensuring that budgeted allocations are released in timely manner.
Shehu however called for increased availability of new drugs (Amoxicillin DT, Zn-Lo-ORS) across the PHC Centres in Niger State.
According to him: “With this committee in place, there will be drastic reduction in the unfavourable Childhood (U-5) Morbidity and Mortality from preventable Pneumonia and Diarrhoea in Niger State.
“There should be improved effective and Sustainable funding to CKD through Implementation of CIP and Policy on CKD in Niger State that will help reduce 19,000 under 5 deaths by 70per cent in the state by 2022.”