Janet Ogundepo
As the world celebrated World Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, paediatricians have reiterated the need to implement effective and affordable health policies and insurance to reduce infant deaths in the country.
This is as the leading children physicians highlighted premature birth and birth-related complications and infections as the leading cause of neonatal deaths, asserting the need for effective preventive measures.
World Pregnancy and Infant Loss is a global healthcare event celebrated annually on October 15 to raise awareness regarding pregnancy loss, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and infant death, which include miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn mortality.
According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018, Nigeria experiences 39 deaths per 1,000 live births of neonatal deaths and 67 deaths per 1,000 live births of infant mortality.
The United Nations Children’s Fund reports that of the over 2.5 million newborn deaths globally, Nigeria records more than 400,000 stillborn deaths.
UNICEF explains neonatal mortality as the first 28 days of life which is the most vulnerable time when children face the highest risk of dying.
The children’s agency stated that premature birth, birth complications, neonatal infections and congenital anomalies accounted for about four in every 10 deaths in children under the age of five.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, a paediatrician at the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto State, Prof Ben Onankpa, said, “The main causes of infant deaths in Nigeria are prematurity, birth-related complications like perinatal asphyxia and infections, especially respiratory infections.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, perinatal asphyxia, or birth asphyxia, happens when there is inadequate intake of oxygen by the baby during the birth process. This can be before, during or just after birth.
To further reduce neonatal mortality in the country, Onankpa called for “putting up effective and affordable health policies, interventions and innovations.”
Also, another paediatrician, Prof Omotayo Adesiyun, listed the top causes of infant death in Nigeria, particularly during the first month as premature birth, perinatal asphyxia, infections, jaundice and congenital malformations.
She listed the infections to include diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria.
The paediatrician noted that while many of these conditions are preventable through proper antenatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies and delivery in clean environments, some mothers, due to lack of health insurance and poverty, are unable to access appropriate healthcare facilities for their care.
“A lot of these can be prevented by proper antenatal care with women with high-risk pregnancies identified and referred appropriately. However even with referral, the women might not go to the appropriate places because of poverty and lack of insurance,” the don said.
Adesiyun further noted that child delivery handled by properly trained health workers and carried out in a clean environment was important to prevent neonatal deaths.
She advised new mothers to ensure proper care of their baby’s umbilical cords to prevent infections.
“In case of premature deliveries, the babies should be taken to the hospital for care and not kept at home. Also, all babies with fever, jaundice and refusing to suck should be taken to a trained health worker and not kept at home,” the don added.
The child expert urged mothers to ensure they exclusively breastfeed their children and take them for their routine immunisation.
Adesiyun said, “Breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding is a very important preventive measure as well as immunisation and good nutrition.”
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