Curbing maternal and child mortality: The Nigerian experience

Ogunjimi Lucas Olusegun¹*, Ibe, Rosemary Thomas² and Ikorok Maria Micheal³
 

¹Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

²Department of Public Health Nursing, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria.

³Department of Physical and Health education, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: segunjimilucas@yahoo.com. Tel: +234 803 713 4064. 

Accepted 13 February, 2012

Abstract

The paper examined the unacceptable high maternal and child mortality in Africa using Nigeria as a case study. Place and duration of study were the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Calabar, and Department of Public Health Nursing, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria, between February, 2010 and April, 2011. The opportunity created by the presence of over 300 Nurses at the 2010 October 3rd to 8th, 8^th African Regional Conference organised by Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) in Ghana, was utilized to extensively compare notes and discuss salient issues contained in our reviewed work. Existing research works in prints and electronic among others were used in the search and collation of facts and figures contained in the study. Theme of the conference was: Reforming Nursing and Midwifery Care in Africa. Nigeria is the most populous Black Nation and has the maternal mortality rate of 280 to 1150 per 100,000 live births (Onwumere, 2010). Maternal and child mortality is closely linked to poverty with malnutrition as an underlying contributor in over half of these deaths. Factors associated with these problems include, poor socio-economic development, weak health care system and low socio-cultural barriers to care utilization (Ibeh, 2008). The persistent high rate of maternal and child mortality in the country negates the achievement of the 4th and 5th Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Nigeria, which constitutes just 1% of the world’s population, accounts for 10% of the world’s maternal and under-5 mortality rates. Factors associated with these problems include, poor socio-economic development, weak health care system and low socio-cultural barriers to care utilization. Key interventions identified for curbing these problems include, care during pregnancy, birth and post partum supports in addition to approved child survival intervention.

Keywords: Curbing, maternal, child, mortality, Nigerian experience.