…as the nation declares state of emergency on maternal and child deaths
By Lillian Okenwa
A state of public health concern has been declared on maternal, new born and child deaths as nearly 2,300 children under five die daily and about 145 women die day-to-day in Nigeria from pregnancy and childbirth related matters.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib who made this disclosure in Abuja on Monday raised urgent concerns about these deaths occurring at primary health care (PHC) and community levels.
Expressing concern while presenting the agency’s strategic approach to rapidly reduce maternal and child mortality at community levels, he likened the 145 daily maternal deaths to having a fully loaded Boeing 737-300 airplane, with 145 women crashing every single day in Nigeria, killing everyone on board.
“Every day in Nigeria, approximately 145 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, this is equivalent to having 1 Boeing 737-300 series airplane, fully loaded with 145 women crashing every single day in Nigeria, killing everyone on board.
“Every day in Nigeria, approximately 2,300 children under five years die mainly from preventable causes. Similarly, this is equivalent to having 15 Boeing 737-300 series airplanes fully loaded with 145 children under five years old, crashing every single day in Nigeria and killing all the children on board.
“One out of every eight Nigerian children dies before having a chance to celebrate his or her 5th birthday.
“Having noted the high rate of maternal, new born and under-five child mortality and the insufficiency of our efforts to reverse the trend, I hereby declare a state of public health concern on maternal, new born and child deaths occurring at the primary health care (PHC) and community levels.”
Meanwhile, Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (amended) adequately provided for the right to life. This provision clearly states that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found.
Many Nigerians are however left in a quandary since government has not taken sufficient care to provide basic health care to keep them alive in spite of clear constitutional provisions.
Shuaib said the establishment of a National Coordination Centre within the NPHCDA to provide oversight on Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) activities at PHC level, would help tackle the challenge of preventable deaths.
