JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Disturbed by the increasing level of infant mortality rate in Nigeria especially in the North-east region already devastated by insurgency, the United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) in line with its cardinal objective of saving lives has taken the 1,000-day child survival campaign to the North-east where it matters most. MUAZU ABARI reports.
The importance of the first 1,000 days in the life and survival of a child cannot be over- emphasised. That is to say that whatever happens to a child in this period in-terms of nutritional needs or parental care is very crucial to his growth and survival.
This, according to experts, is a special period when an unborn and born child deserve all the motherly care and nutritional attention.
Unfortunately, most mothers and would-be ones are yet to come to terms with this reality; therefore, do not see the need to prioritise this period in the lives their children thereby leading to high-health risks such as infant mortality rate, malnourishments especially the North-east region.
This unfortunate state of affairs has left the region in a disadvantaged state with scaring statistics. For instance, a global report tagged, ‘Fail and Fed’ conducted in 2021 rated Nigeria as second among countries of the world with the highest numbers of children with malnutrition and first in the whole of Africa.
It was also established that 17 milion Nigerian children are found to be under-nourished just as half of all the children from five years in the North-east and west were estimated to be stunted in 2013.
Another study revealed that insurgency compounded humanitarian issues in the region resulting in over-crowding and poor hygiene leading to cholera outbreak, malnutrition, disruption in agricultural activities which worsen food insecurity and disruption of health supplement among others.
Likewise, another study revealed that Boko haram crisis has led to over 37,500 deaths with 2.4 million internally displaced citizens with severe impacts in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Gombe among other frightening statistics.
Taking the campaign higher
It is therefore not surprising that the United Nation children Fund (UNICEF) charged with the responsibility of saving lives especially women and children decided to take ‘1, 000 days child-survival’ campaign to the media, mothers and other stakeholder’s in the region towards changing this ugly narratives.
The campaign which featured brainstorming session, experience- sharing and visitations to health facilities on a fact- finding mission from both experts and patients alike brought journalists and stakeholders in the region and FCT together to chart a way forward towards reducing infants mortality rate.
Speaking at the workshop, UNICEF communications officer Bauchi Field Office, Opeyemi Olagunju, who rolled out the objectives of the workshop said it was geared towards creating awareness on what 1, 000 days in the life of a child is all about, its impacts and survival because whatever happened during that period, he noted, is fundamental to the survival of the child.
He also stressed that the workshop would x-ray the major threats and challenges encountered in the first 1, 000 and how the media can play key role in addressing these challenges through their reportage and enlightments efforts as well as the roles expected to be played by government and other stakeholders like traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, policy makers to tackle those challenges.
The executive secretary Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency represented by the director planning, research and statistics, Jibrin Umar, pointed out that the first 1, 000 days of a child is very crucial in the life of a child as it is a period when all parts of the body is being formed hence the need to give this period special attention so that no part of the body would be negetively affected.
He stressed that mothers should be careful during this period especially on food, duration of rest and above all take care of themselves failure which would negatively affect their child. He urged the media to sustain efforts in enlightening mothers and the society on the importance of 1, 000 days in the life of a child.
On his part, UNICEF Chief Bauchi Field Office, Stuner Rane said 1, 000 days is a period between conception and two years of the child existence on earth which is an extremely important period when the foundation of optimum health growth and neuro-development across life span are established.
According to him, the maternal child nutrition and health can determine the child ability to grow, noting that poor nutrition in the first 1, 000 days can have irreversible damage on a child’s growing brain and body hence the need for parents to take this period seriously to ensure child survival and development.
In his presentation titled, ‘Media, behaviour change and development’ a Professor of Communications and Media Study, Prof Umar Pate tasked the media on the need to prioritise health and development issues and as agenda setter in the society.
He called for change in media content and behaviour as well as the need for media to invest in technology if they must remain relevant relevan in the discharge of their responsibilities especially in shaping the behaviour of the people. He stressed that the world has changed and moved with technological advancement; therefore any media organisations that cannot adjust would be sent out of business.
First-hand information
The three-day event also featured field trips and visitations to some selected health facilities and also interacted with health workers, management and patients to have a first hand information on their activities and challenges.
At Kunbiya-Kunbiya Primary Health Care Centre within Gombe Metropolis, the Head of Ante-natal Unit, Rabbi Bello said the removal of fuel subsidy which led to high cost of transport and living conditions have seriously affected the turn-out of people that usually come for antenatal in the hospital.
“Prior to the removal of fuel subsidy, we usually have large number of women coming for antenatal but now the reverse is the case. We usually attended to between 500 to 600 women every month but now it has drastically reduced to like 400 or less because most of them complain about high cost of transport fare.
“I think there is need for government and other non-governmental organisations to intervene in this regard to overcome this challenges faced by our women as a result of economic hardships in the country.”
On her part, the Head of Immunisation, Hadiza idris, said they dont have much challenges of high turn-out in the unit and there is high-level compliance because a certain non- governmental organisation decided to come to their rescue by making funds available which they used give out to those come for immunisation as their transport fare.
According to her, that singular efforts has been playing significance role in encouraging so many mothers to turn-out for the exercise. She called on other NGOs to follow the example by imitating the initiative.
Also speaking the Head of Nutrition Unit, Sadiyya Adam lamented the absence of food supplements to support the women as they used to do before, but said they have been doing their best at enlightening them on the kind of food they should take and other necessary things they should be doing as alternatives.
She also attributed poverty as one of the reasons most women find it difficult to meet up with their nutritional needs in the first 1, 000 days which seriously affect the growth and child survival.
Speaking to journalists in her office, the Medical Officer in charge of Kunbiya-Kunbiya Primary Health Care Centre Halima Ahmed Kole said she has no idea why the supplement is not longer coming but when it is available they also get their own share from the state focal person.
She further noted that 44-55 malnourished children are treated in the facility every month among other areas of health challenges but in case of serious ailments, they always referred them to appropriate facilities where such cases can best be handled before it gets worses, saying that is why they hardly have cases of death in the hospital or during birth.
She commended UNICEF and WHO for their tireless interventions in all areas of health challenges which have continued to keep them going and called on other organisations to complement UNICEF and government efforts to ensure effective supports and funding of the health sector.
Most of the patients interviewed explained that despite the current economic situation and hardships in the country, they cannot joke with the lives and survival of their child as being preached to them in the hospitals; that is why they always go extra miles to meet up with all nutritional requirements.
They also called on other mothers who are not in the habit of coming to the hospital for counselling, guidance and nutritional supports to have change of attitude and embrace this reality in their own interest and that of their innocent children.
