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Before the end of 2019, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) predicted that out of the 392,078 babies that would be born globally on January 1, 2020, 26,039 or seven per cent would be born in Nigeria. India, according to the report, would have 67,385 newborns, China, 46,299, Pakistan, 16,787, Indonesia, 13,020, USA, 10,452, DR Congo, 10,247 and Ethiopia, 8,493.
It also predicted that Fiji in the Pacific would most likely deliver 2020’s first baby, the United States of America its last, and globally more than half of the births would occur in eight countries. Unfortunately, for millions of newborns in Nigeria and around the world, the day of their birth is far less auspicious and often their last.
UNICEF statistics show that every year, 2.6 million babies die before turning one month old. One million of them take their first and last breaths on the day they are born. Another 2.6 million babies are stillborn. More than 80 per cent of newborn deaths are the result of premature birth, complications arising from labour and delivery as well as infections such as sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia.
In 2018, 2.5 million newborn babies died in their first month globally and about a third on their first day while Nigeria recorded 318,522 deaths. It is sad that most of the Nigerian children died from preventable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery and infections. According to the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, over 400,000 stillbirths occur in Nigeria annually.
To end newborn deaths, UNICEF is using the global Every Child Alive Campaign to appeal to governments, businesses, health-care providers, communities and individuals to fulfill their promise of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and keep every child alive. The death of newborns varies from country to country. For instance, babies born in Japan, according to the report, stand the best chance of surviving, with just 1 in 1,000 dying during the first 28 days.
However, children born in Pakistan are likely to face the worst odds because of every 1,000 babies born, 46 die before the end of their first month. Since newborn survival is closely linked to a country’s income level, high-income countries have an average newborn mortality rate of just three while low-income countries have a newborn mortality rate of 27.
There are also exceptions. For instance, in Kuwait and the United States of America, which are both high-income countries, the newborn mortality rate is 4. Also, some lower-middle-income countries such as Sri Lanka and Ukraine have newborn mortality rate of 5. In the same vein, Rwanda, a low-income country, has reportedly halved its newborn mortality rate in recent decades from 41 in 1990 to 17 in 2016.
All the same, we bemoan the newborn mortality rate in the country and call on all tiers of government to urgently step up measures to address the problem. Interestingly, we have the manpower and resources to considerably reduce newborn deaths. What is lacking is the political will to do the right thing.
Although the government has promised to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare to all Nigerians, let it be fulfilled in 2020. Government should provide affordable and quality care for every mother and baby, including life-saving drugs. It should also recruit sufficient doctors, nurses and midwives with requisite competencies to take care of every mother and baby.
Since millions of young lives could be saved every year if mothers and babies had access to affordable, quality healthcare, good nutrition and clean water, we urge the government to provide them forthwith. We recall that in 1918, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) disclosed that inadequate and non-functional health facilities, shortage of critical human resources were responsible for rising cases of child and maternal mortality. It also stated, among others, that inadequate power and water supply, commodity stock-outs, equipment inadequacy and weak standards worsened the situation.
As at 2018, there were about 30,000 non-functional health facilities across the country. We enjoin all tiers of government to work together and prioritise the healthcare needs of children from 0-5 years of age and their mothers. We do not think that the situation has significantly improved.
The government should strive to achieve the UHC for all Nigerians as advised by the World health Organisation (WHO). Nigeria must live up to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) pledge it made in 2015 (alongside other African leaders) on universal health coverage.
It is worth reminding the government that adequate and sustained investment in health would ensure equitable access to health services. It will also go a long way in the drastic reduction of newborn deaths.
