Group Decries High Rate Of Infant Mortality

The Nigeria Society of
Neonatal Medicine (NISONM), a body that promotes quality new Born Care, has raised alarm over high rate of deaths of newborn babies in Nigeria, saying that the country ranks highest in Africa and 2nd in the globe after India.
President of NISONM, Professor Chinyere Ezeaka, made this known  while briefing newsmen on the ongoing 9th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the organisation taking place in Enugu.
According to him, out of about Seven Million babies that are delivered yearly in Nigeria, about two hundred and seventy thousand (270,000) die yearly.
She further noted that about thirty newborn babies die every hour in Nigeria, pointing out that the ugly development was totally unacceptable to the body, hence their decision to gather in Enugu to sensitise women on how to avert the ugly situation.
Professor Ezeaka, regretted that most of the deaths, which she attributed to pre-maturity, jaundices, infections, among others could have been prevented if women were properly sensitised.
She hinted that they started the meeting with a mobilisation outreach at Ndeabor, in Animri Council Area of Enugu State where women were taught how to prevent death of the newborn through personal hygiene, among others.
“We had community outreach and health talks with the mothers, we talked about personal hygiene and interacted with the mothers on how to take care of the cord” she stated.
Earlier in her address delivered at a workshop, the NISONM President had explained that the theme of the conference “Newborn Health in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals” and Subtheme “Establishing Partnerships For Maternal and Newborn Health: How Far?”were quite apt to address our current challenges especially asphyxia, newborn sepsis, prematurity and neonatal jaundice.
The medical expert,  said plans were afoot to develop a national newborn
care protocol manual, adding that they were also planning to embark on a massive drive for Bag and Mask Ventilation devices in all the public and private levels of care in the country.
According to her, since inception in 2008, NISONM has committed technical skills, promoted quality newborn care and facilitated national and international collaborations to strengthen the implementation process of reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
The media briefing was attended by national officers of the association from various part of Nigeria.