Faith-based Clinics Increasing Child Mortality in S’ West, UNICEF Tells Govts
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday warned the governments of the Southwest states to work hard to reduce the increasing scourge of infant and child mortality.
UNICEF, a specialised agency of the United Nations, regretted that high patronage of faith-based clinics, rather than orthodox hospitals, was responsible for this frightening occurrence.
UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Ijioma Agbo made the disclosure at a two-day media dialogue organised by the National Orientation Agency and UNICEF on the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey ranked Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo States of having the highest infant and child mortality rates.
At the dialogue, Agbo warned that there is urgent need for governments of Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo States to begin to adopt all necessary strategies to strengthen their health system towards reducing the incidence.
The health specialist advised the affected states to comply with the global requirement of one primary healthcare facility per -ward and make them operational.
Agbo called for improved awareness on the need for expectant mothers to patronise health care facilities rather than faith- based clinics, which is a major factor responsible for the high mortality rate.
Agbo clarified that though, the governments of these states have introduced various meaningful health programmes, much more still needed to be done to save the lives of new born babies.
According to statistics obtained from the MICS survey, Agbo revealed that between three and four children die within one month of delivery in Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo, which she claimed, was worrisome.
“Though, Lagos State has the lowest rate of child mortality, there is the need for its government to also do more considering the population”.
In his submission, UNICEF M4R Specialist, Olusola Olanipekun, affirmed that 21 percent of children in the South-west are delivered outside health facilities which he said contributed to child mortality.
Speaking on child marriage, Olanipekun rates Ekiti high in these areas, saying one out of 10 girls got married before age of 15 and three out of 10 boys got married before 18”.
