Above One Million Children Die Annually In Nigeria

NIGERIA is among 12 countries in the world reporting the highest under-five mortality rate among children, according to the 2008 State of the World's Children Report launched in Abuja yesterday.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Robert Limlim, who painted a gloomy picture of children health profile in the country, said "in more concrete terms, more than one million children under five years of age die annually in this country."

He continued: "Nearly a third of the children under five are underweight. Half of the population does not have access to improved drinking water sources. The incidence of polio has reached such proportion today that urgent and drastic measures have to be taken if Nigeria must interrupt transmission by next year

According to the State of Africa's Children Report, Sub-Saharan Africa faces the greatest crisis of child mortality as about 50 per cent of child deaths in the world happen in the region. Children die of pneumonia, malaria and AIDS, from various childhood diseases such as measles, as well as from causes, including diarrhoea, related to a lack of clean water and sanitation. Under nutrition contributes up to half of all under-five deaths.

"Nigeria accounts for 50 per cent of child deaths in the region. This figure can be reduced if the accelerated child survival and development strategy and recently adopted integrated maternal new born and child health policy is vigorously implemented", Limlim said

Source: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article04//indexn2_html?pdate=160708&ptitle=Nigeria,%2011%20others%20top%20infant%20mortality%20chart