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From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
A Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Ilorin, Muhammed Akanbi Adeboye, has called the Federal Government to criminalize child abuse in order to ensure that children live healthy and productive lives and also increase health sector budget.
Prof Adeboye made the call while delivering the 241st Inaugural Lecture of the University entitled “Myriads and Hazy Qualms in Child’s Global Health and The Brain” at the main auditorium of the university.
He stressed the need to mete adequate punishment on parents or guardians that maltreat their children or wards in order to ensure that the lives of the younger ones are protected.
He also advised parents against the display of anger while correcting their children’s misdeeds. He explained that violent administration of corporal punishment on children is often counterproductive. He added that a parent may be killing his child physically or psychologically while thinking that he or she is correcting him or her.
The medical scholar, who has conducted series of far-reaching research on the health of little children, advised parents to always ensure early presentation of medical complaints observed in their children in order to save them from life-threatening complications.
According to him, when children with cases of one ailment or the other are taken to the health facility as soon as symptoms are noticed such medical complaints can be quickly tackled to restore the health of such children.
He canvassed regular immunisation of children, adding that immunisation is harmless as there is more “good” associated with it than bad.
He also called for the establishment of what he called National Newborn Screening Programme, which would encourage the detection of ailments very early in the life of infants.
The Inaugural Lecturer also appealed to the government to put in place measures that would discourage medical personnel from leaving the country in search of greener pastures. While acknowledging the fact that it is also greener here, he explained that landmines, traps and other difficulties should be removed to enable access to the greener grass available in Nigeria for medical professionals and others to remain at home instead of relocating to foreign lands.
Prof Adeboye equally urged the federal government to allocate more resources to the health sector, saying allocating 5.7 per cent to health sector in 2023 budget though the highest so far but it is low compared to 15percent recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO); the percentage of national budget allocated to the health sector was too low compared to the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (W.H.O).
He advised opinion leaders and parents to encourage exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. He explained that such practice would prepare the beneficiaries for future leadership.
The renowned academic also debunked the assumption that congenital anomalies in children are death sentences, saying that they are situations that can be corrected.
Prof Adeboye added that such children should not be hidden but also shown love and affection by presenting them for immediate and qualitative medical attention.
He also urged parents to encourage good sleeping habit in their children and wards. He explained that that would be healthier for the children.
The renowned academic equally challenged the government to embark on deliberate efforts at reducing poverty. He added that the reduction in the poverty rate in the country would surely impact on the health of the citizenry particularly children.
The Inaugural Lecturer advised parents to always exhibit love and fraternity in their relationship with their children. He explained that when a parent displays friendship to his or her children, it would be easier to persuade them on the path he or she wants them to pursue.
Prof Adeboye also implored his colleagues in the academia to always encourage their younger ones towards the path of academic and professional productivity. He added that it would be to the good of the system if senior academics encourage those coming behind them on what to do or even partner with them in the conduct of one research or the other.
