Nigeria to half infant mortality by 2015
Nigeria will by 2015 reduce by half its current infant mortality rate as it gears towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs has said.
The presidential aide, Precious Gbeneol, who gave the assurance in Abuja at a news conference to mark 1,000 Days to the end of the MDGs target date, said the mortality rate of 61 per 1,000 live births would reduce by 50 per cent to meet the 2015 target.
She explained that the objective would be achieved with the increased investment and ongoing interventions across the health MDGs.
Mrs. Gbeneol said the country had continued to record more reductions in the mortality rate.
“In 1990, 1,000 mothers died per 100,000 live births, in 2008 it drop to 545 and in 2012, the figure is now 350,” she said.
“Nigeria is 28.6 per cent away from the 2015 target, but there is definite progress in this goal area. With the introduction of Midwife Service Scheme, progress has been driven a major part.’’
According to Mrs. Gbeneol, some of the markers showing improvements include: In 2008, deliveries that had skilled birth attendant was 38.9 per cent. The figure rose to 53.6 per cent in 2012.
Survey reports also indicate there was an increase in the proportion of children under five sleeping under Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN).
In 2008, 2012 and 2013, 5.5, 3.46 and 2.2 per cent of such children slept under the ITN respectively.
Mrs. Gheneol said the government was committed to introducing new interventions in the drive for greater efficiency of progress in the run to the 2015 MDGs deadline.
She said the country would continue to be a reference point globally as “one of the few countries that have demonstrated great commitment to the MDGs’’.
Earlier, the UNDP representative, Ade Lekoetje, had said that the organization would continue to support the MDGs in ensuring that it achieved its set target by 2015.
“UNDP will continue to be part of the MDGs programme. We started with them and must not stop on the way.
“Even as 2015 has been set up as deadline, we must work hard to ensure that we achieve the target goal,’’ Lekoetje said.
---------Health Destination
The presidential aide, Precious Gbeneol, who gave the assurance in Abuja at a news conference to mark 1,000 Days to the end of the MDGs target date, said the mortality rate of 61 per 1,000 live births would reduce by 50 per cent to meet the 2015 target.
She explained that the objective would be achieved with the increased investment and ongoing interventions across the health MDGs.
Mrs. Gbeneol said the country had continued to record more reductions in the mortality rate.
“In 1990, 1,000 mothers died per 100,000 live births, in 2008 it drop to 545 and in 2012, the figure is now 350,” she said.
“Nigeria is 28.6 per cent away from the 2015 target, but there is definite progress in this goal area. With the introduction of Midwife Service Scheme, progress has been driven a major part.’’
According to Mrs. Gbeneol, some of the markers showing improvements include: In 2008, deliveries that had skilled birth attendant was 38.9 per cent. The figure rose to 53.6 per cent in 2012.
Survey reports also indicate there was an increase in the proportion of children under five sleeping under Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN).
In 2008, 2012 and 2013, 5.5, 3.46 and 2.2 per cent of such children slept under the ITN respectively.
Mrs. Gheneol said the government was committed to introducing new interventions in the drive for greater efficiency of progress in the run to the 2015 MDGs deadline.
She said the country would continue to be a reference point globally as “one of the few countries that have demonstrated great commitment to the MDGs’’.
Earlier, the UNDP representative, Ade Lekoetje, had said that the organization would continue to support the MDGs in ensuring that it achieved its set target by 2015.
“UNDP will continue to be part of the MDGs programme. We started with them and must not stop on the way.
“Even as 2015 has been set up as deadline, we must work hard to ensure that we achieve the target goal,’’ Lekoetje said.
---------Health Destination
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