How 1 Million Nigerians Under 24 Tragically Died Due To Healthcare Challenges – WHO

The WHO has revealed how one million Nigerians in their 20’s died due to healthcare challenges.

A United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality revealed this data.                   

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In a recent report titled, ‘Levels & Trends in Child Mortality: Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.’ Nigerians from 24 years have lost their lives.

The UN IGME releases estimates of child and young adolescent mortality yearly.

According to the data in 2020:

• An average of 844,000 children under five years died.
• 120,000 children between five and 14 years have died.
• 75,000 persons between the ages of 15 and 24 died.

The UN and other stakeholders create this list annually. They are:

• United Nations Children’s Fund.
• World Bank Group.
• World Health Organisation.
• The United Nations Population Division.

The report revealed that the causes of these deaths were:

• Strained and under-resourced health systems.
• Restrictions in care-seeking and preventive measures.
• Socioeconomic challenges.

The report read in part:

“These deaths could stem from the repercussions of strained and under-resourced health systems. limitations on care-seeking and preventative measures like vaccination and nutrition supplements. Or socioeconomic strains on households resulting from job losses. Economic contractions or even deaths of parents due to COVID-19.”

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Other factors that led to the death of children were:

• Geographic and economic discrepancies.

These threatened the universal achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Geographic and economic disparities, along with fragile and conflict-affected situations. Heighten the risk of death for children and threaten the universal achievement of the SDGs.

“Of the 54 countries off-track to meet the SDG target on under-five mortality. Nearly 75 per cent (40) are in sub-Saharan Africa, 85 per cent (46) are classified as low-or lower-middle[1]income countries, and about half are classified as fragile and conflict-affected situations.

“For the neonatal mortality target, 70 per cent of the countries at risk of missing the target are in sub[1]Saharan Africa, 84 per cent (51) are low- or lower[1]middle-income, and 39 per cent are classified as fragile and conflict-affected situations,” the report read.

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The report also revealed that children in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia face these challenges.

It read in part, “Even without COVID-19-related mortality adjustments, the death toll is still staggering: More than five million children died before turning five in 2020 alone. Tragically, much of this loss of life could have been prevented.

“These deaths are not carried equally around the world – children in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia continue to face the highest risk of death and to bear the brunt of the child mortality burden.

“As the world attempts to vaccinate widely to reduce preventable deaths due to COVID-19, it is also time to remember and renew our commitment to ending all preventable child deaths that devastate millions of families year after year.”

Source: PUNCH HealthWise