Pediatricians Want More Primary Health Centres

The Paediatrics Associa
tion of Nigeria (PAN) last  Monday called for the establishment of more primary health care centres (PHC) in the country.
The National President,  PAN, Dr Olowo Adewunmi, made the call while briefing newsmen on activities lined up for its 45th Annual General Meeting from Jan. 22 to 24 in Calabar.
Adewunmi said the centres were necessary for the survival of children.
He said: “we hope that the primary health care system in Nigeria would be revisited. The PHC system in the country has totally collapsed. “So, we call on the government to do everything possible to resuscitate the system across the country to guarantee the survival of Nigerian children.’’
He also called for the revival of the School Health Programme and the de-worming of children, including adolescents.
“Our children should be given the best climate and environment to develop, as was the case in the 60s and 70s’’, he said.
He also said that PAN was opposed to early child marriage, stressing that it had health implications on the survival and growth of the girl-child.
The president stressed that as doctors caring for children, they were not happy with the present health status of the Nigerian child.
He said that infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country was currently 84 per cent.
“Most worrisome is that these deaths are preventable. We are the advocates of the voiceless children and our concern is for every child to be adequately protected’’, he said.
Adewunmi said that the association was working on a position document to be forwarded to the National Assembly on the state of child care in the country.
He also said that the number of paediatricians in the country was inadequate and called for more professionals.
According to him, the theme of this year’s annual general meeting is: “Adolescent Health in Nigeria: Present status, Challenges and Prospects’’, and that discussants are expected from Nigeria and abroad.