From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi.

The Federal Ministry of Health has described as ‘alarming,’ the under five mortality rate in the country stressing that much still needed to be done to further reduce it.

Director, Child Health in the Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Bosede Aderiran, stated this in Makurdi, Benue State, during the flag-off of a nine-day training on Integrated Community Case Management of Childhood Illnesses (ICCMCI) organised by Christian Aid International in collaboration with the Benue State Government.

While noting that although the under-5 mortality rate had reduced from 201 per 1000 lives births in the year 2000 to 128 per 1000 live births in 2013, there was need to further bring down the number to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set target of two-third reduction.

Her words, “When the MGD was set in the year 2000, the under five mortality rate as captured in the 1990 NDHS was 201 per 1000 life births. But at the end of the MDGS when we did the national demographic health survey as far back as 2013, Nigeria was with 128 per 1000 life births.”

“We have actually made progress but we are not there yet because we are unable to achieve the MDGS that says that we should reduce under five mortality rate by two-third.”

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She posited that the government realizing the challenges posed by the three major child killer diseases of pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea, decided to address them by changing strategy and focusing on providing health care services to rural dwellers who make up 70 percent of the entire Nigerian population.

Also speaking, acting Programme Manager for Health, Christian Aid UK-Nigeria, Kazeem Balogun, explained that the training was aimed at addressing malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea in rural and hard to reach communities

“We are implementing a project titled partnership for improved health in Benue State in collaboration with the state government. The project is about how we will contribute to reduction of child mortality and improve child survival in Benue State.”

Balogun added that the project which would be implemented in four local government areas of Konshisha, Kwande, Okpokwu and Obi through the integrated community case management of childhood illnesses is first of its kind in Benue State.

“We are carrying out training of doctors and nurses as well as senior health officers across the state who are expected to do the step down training for local government health workers and lower level health facility workers in the state. The workshop is for nine days.”