The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the OAU Organisation of African Unity. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being Hector Pieterson (see image). More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured.

On June 16 every year, governments, NGOs, international organisations and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of the rights of children in Africa.






In commemoration of this day, the Civil Society Organizations Strategy Group on Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria (CSOSG-SDGs), Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, has applauded the Nigerian government over school feeding programe taking place within the states of the country.


Speaking on EaglesFM 102.3 frequency on Thursday in Abuja, on the plight of the African Child, Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje also emphasized the importance of Health Post which should be the first point of call for patients seeking medical care.

The CSOSG-SDGs boss, Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje
said the money used in building one General Hospital can be used to build hundred (100) Health Posts and suggested that the distance between these Health Posts and patients should be one (1) kilometer at most while the persons manning these Health Posts should be well trained.
"Once he/she can not handle a case, it at that point can escalate to the nearest Primary Health Center where nurses are stationed. By doing this, many illnesses would be treated and the patients won't have to visit General Hospitals. These Health Posts don't have to take in patients, the Primary Health Centers should, which will be less than 50% of patients", he said.

Statistically speaking, he disclosed that in every five (5) minutes five (5) African children die.
"In every one (1) hour three hundred (300) of them die and every day seven thousand two hundred (7,200) African children die from preventable illnesses resulting from malaria, hunger, and birth circumstances".

Stating further, he mentioned that in 2013 one in every thirteen African children die before their 5th birthday which was the world figure twenty years (20) earlier, yet African leaders are quick to sign International Treaties but would not do much when they are back to their countries.

According to Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje,
within the first month of birth, 25% of Africa children die from preventable illnesses like pneumonia and diarrhea which is why emphasis should be laid on immunization, nutrition, sanitation, and provision of clean water.
"Once this is done, children will spend more time going to school, parents would have more time going to work and make more money and the government would have more money to provide social services", he said.

Similarly, the medical practitioner speaking on the need for adequate manpower noted that manpower should be provided with the necessary working environment in accordance with the standard of the western world.

While fielding questions, Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje
Stressed on the health of a mother, saying it is very important because her health contributes a lot to the well-being of the child.


However, he lauded the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria and advised that the Federal Government should introduce school farming where farming inputs are being subsidised.

Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje encouraged public servants to develop personal belief in the country's health system by visiting the country's health facilities when they are ill.

In securing the health of the African child, he emphasized the services of ambulances and blood banks. He said that ambulance services should be adequate, functional, and available and blood should be well screened and made available in large quantity.

The medical practitioner resolved by harping on the need for increased budgetary allocation in the health sector all over Africa.
"Once health is taken care of, many other things would have been taken care of automatically."