Nigeria Loses 1 Million Under-5 Kids Annually — HSES

1 Million Nigerian Kids Die Before Age 5, Says HSES...

FCT launches MNCHW campaign to combat child mortality and malnutrition.

The Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) of the Federal Capital Territory revealed that approximately one million Nigerian children under the age of five die annually due to various illnesses. This stark statistic was announced by Adedolapo Fasawe, the acting secretary of HSES, on Friday, July 19.

The announcement marked the launch of the 2024 FCT Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) vaccination campaign, which aims to combat these alarming mortality rates. The campaign, scheduled to run from July 20 to July 24, offers free vaccinations for children aged 0 to 59 months, providing a crucial shield against preventable diseases.

On behalf of Dr. Babagana Adam, the Permanent Secretary of FCTA, Adedolapo Fasawe stressed that the alarming mortality rate among children aged 0 to 59 months necessitates the annual vaccination campaign by FCTA. The high death toll among young children demands urgent action, making the vaccination drive a crucial intervention.

Fasawe underscored the significance of the vaccination campaign, pointing out that malnutrition is widespread among children in the FCT, making them more vulnerable to diseases. By vaccinating them, the campaign aims to shield Nigerian children from preventable illnesses and ensure their healthy growth and development.

“The rate of stunting is 21.2 percent, underweight 12.1 percent, and waisting 3.0 percent.

“Wasting reflects Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM), which is still unacceptably high to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) global target of lower than 5 percent for GAM by 2025 (NDHS 2018).

“Micronutrient malnutrition is also prevalent.

“Evaluation by the United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) in the last SMART survey published in 2017 showed that Vitamin A coverage for FCT was 40.6 percent which is far below the minimum 90 percent target.

“Exclusive breastfeeding rate in FCT is 52 percent with MICS 2017 report.”

Nigeria's maternal mortality ratio stands at 512 deaths for every 100,000 live births, according to the 2018 NDHA report. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the ratio is slightly lower at 408 deaths per 100,000 live births.

“These rates are unacceptably poor and preventive measures need to be supported and promoted to be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” she emphasized.

While significant strides have been made through the Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) in improving key health indicators, more work needs to be done to ensure that all eligible children receive the necessary interventions to optimize their nutritional well-being, according to Fasawe.

The Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) is a bi-annual initiative (May/June and November/December) established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to deliver critical health interventions at the grassroots level, explained Fasawe. The program focuses on raising awareness and providing essential services in maternal, newborn, and child healthcare.

Fasawe emphasized that MNCHW has shifted from isolated vertical campaigns to a more integrated approach, aiming to provide comprehensive interventions that enhance the overall health of caregivers and children. During the MNCHW vaccination campaign, a range of services will be offered, including vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6-59 months, deworming for children aged 12-59 months, and routine immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases for children aged 0-11 months.

“There will also be growth monitoring and promotion exercises, food demonstrations and nutrition screenings of children from 6 to 59 months, birth registration, family planning services, and hand washing demonstration.

“There will also be a focus on antenatal care and administration of IPTp to prevent malaria in pregnant women, HIV now been fully integrated into the MNCHW,” Fasawe said.

Fasawe stressed the crucial role of all stakeholders, including journalists, in raising awareness about MNCHW and its benefits. She also appealed to households across the six area councils of the FCT to collaborate with medical officers who will be conducting the exercise, ensuring a successful and effective implementation of the program.