Group expresses concern over increase in under-5 mortalities in Gombe

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Maternal Neo-natal Child Health (MNCH) coalition has expressed concern over the increase in under-five mortalities in Gombe State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that MNCH coalition is a group of experts in diverse fields, advocating for improvement in reproductive child health and nutrition in the state.

The Chairman of the group, Mr Alhassan Yaya, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Gombe.

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According to him, the state is recording an under-5 mortality rate of 162 per 1000 live births and infant mortality rate of 90 per 1000 live births as shown by Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2016).

“The figure is very high and alarming, the only solution is to improve the standard of our primary health care facilities.

“Establishment of state health insurance scheme will also go along way in addressing the problem,” he said.

Yaya, who quoted sources from the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2018, said nutrition had been neglected in the wellbeing of children.

He said 51.2 per cent of children under five were suffering from stunted growth while 17.0 per cent children wasted and 33.2 per cent were underweight.

The chairman identified some of the probable causes of malnutrition as lack of food, improper feeding, caring practices, economic and political structures, low status and lack of education, among women.

He, therefore, recommended a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the age-long problem.