By: Murtala Muhammad
The 2023/2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) has indicated that 125 children out of every 1,000 live births in Bauchi State die before their fifth birthday.
This alarming figure, according to the NDHS, is above the national average, which stands at 101 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The survey also shows that the North-East region records an under-five mortality rate of 127 per 1,000 live births.
Against this background, the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) project organised a one-day training workshop for Bauchi-based journalists, themed "Promoting Child Health Through Media Advocacy".
The training is aimed at drawing the attention of stakeholders on the need for investigating the underlying causes of child mortality and the strategies to adopt towards implementing workable solutions.
The CHAMPS project is funded by the Gates Foundation through Emory University, US, and being implemented by the College of Medical Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.
In a remark, the Vice Chancellor of ATBU, Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba, said journalists, as professionals, have a vital role to play in sensitising the public and policymakers to take action in addressing the problem.
The Principal Investigator of the CHAMPS project, Dr Muhammad Bashir Faruk, described child deaths from birth to five years in Nigeria, particularly in Bauchi State, as alarming.
“Let’s say 1,000 babies were delivered in Nigeria. Before they reach 28 days – that’s the neonatal period – 41 of them would have died. In the North-East, 40 would have died, and in Bauchi State, 48. So, there are more deaths in Bauchi compared to the national average of 41.” he explained.
He lanented that “In every 1,000 babies delivered, before the age of one year, an average of 63 would have died in Nigeria, 67 in the North-East, and 77 in Bauchi State. So, Bauchi is doing poorly compared to regional and national averages".
Dr Faruk emphasised the need for parents to grant approval for the CHAMPS project to carry out biopsies on deceased children for laboratory investigation, to determine the causes of death and prevent recurrence.
He noted that the outcome of such investigations would provide deeper insight into causative factors beyond clinical assumptions by medical professionals.
The Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Professor Sambo Zailani, represented by Professor Sani Malami, said the CHAMPS project was committed to reversing the trend of child mortality in Nigeria and called on all stakeholders to support the initiative.
At the end of the workshop, participants developed a work plan to serve as a guide in tailoring their messages to various target audiences.
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