Nigeria has one of the highest newborn deaths according to
current rankings by UNICEF and even though the situation is improving progress
is still very slow.
With the newborn mortality rate of 29 deaths per 1,000
births, the global estimates rank Nigeria as the 11th highest on newborn
deaths. In the recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by the
Government of Nigeria in 2016/17, the rate of newborn deaths per 1000 births is
37. This national average hides the differences between the 36 states and the
slow progress in some of them. “A fair chance in life begins with a strong,
healthy start. Unfortunately, many children in Nigeria are still deprived of
this,” said Mohamed M Fall, UNICEF Nigeria’s Representative. “MICS data tells
us that the trend is improving but urgent action needs to be taken for Nigeria
to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. It cannot afford to fail its
newborns today.” Unicef According to a new report on newborn mortality released
one million die the day they are born, while 2.6 million newborns around the
world do not survive their first month of life. The report, released by UNICEF,
notes that global deaths of newborn babies remain alarmingly high, particularly
among the world’s poorest countries and every year, The report notes that 8 of
the 10 most dangerous places to be born are in sub-Saharan Africa, where
pregnant women are much less likely to receive assistance during delivery due
to poverty, conflict and weak institutions. Globally, in low-income countries,
the average newborn mortality rate is 27 deaths per 1,000 births, the report
says. In high-income countries, that rate is 3 deaths per 1,000. “While we have
more than halved the number of deaths among children under the age of five in
the last quarter century, we have not made similar progress in ending deaths
among children less than one month old,” said Henrietta H. Fore, UNICEF’s
Executive Director. “Given that the majority of these deaths are preventable,
clearly, we are failing the world’s poorest babies.” More than 80 per cent of
newborn deaths are due to prematurity, asphyxia, complications during birth or
infections such as pneumonia and sepsis, yet the deaths can be prevented with
access to well-trained midwives during antenatal and postnatal visits as well
as delivery at a health facility, along with proven solutions like clean water,
disinfectants, breastfeeding within the first hour, skin-to-skin contact, etc.
This month, UNICEF is launching Every Child ALIVE, a global campaign to demand
and deliver solutions on behalf of the world’s newborns. Through the campaign,
UNICEF is issuing an urgent appeal to governments, health care providers,
donors, the private sector, families and businesses to keep every child alive
by recruiting, training, retaining and managing sufficient numbers of doctors,
nurses and midwives with expertise in maternal and newborn care among others.
UNICEF - Nigeria Ranks 11th Highest In Newborn Death.
Reviewed by FOW 24 News
on
February 20, 2018
Rating: 5
Nigeria has one of the highest newborn deaths according to current rankings by UNICEF and even though the situation is improving pr...
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