700 new babies die every day in Nigeria– medical expert

Prof Isaac Adewole, Health Minister

By Emeka Akomas, Umuahia

According a medical expert, about 267,000 die at pregnancy stage every year in Nigeria while 700 new babies die daily.

Disclosing this during a two-day neonatal resuscitation and essential baby care training programme for medical personnel held in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, Coordinator of the programme, Dr Nwachukwu Obumneme, attributed this ugly trend to 32% of infection and complication, adding that healthy home practice and community based care would give about 90,000 new born babies every chance to live which is the essence of the training.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu urged participants to take the training serious as the burden of providing crucial intervention at the point of birth rests on them beside – saving families from the emotional trauma they go through when their babies die or become mentally deformed  due to asphyxia.

Mrs. Ikpeazu stressed the need to step up efforts towards the reduction of maternal new born baby and child mortality rates , adding that the programme is one of the holistic approaches  to reducing  preventable deaths.

In his speech, the chairman of the occasion and Chief Medical Officer, Abia State University , Uturu, Prof. Chuks Kamalu said the programme is organized to equip and empower health workers to take care babies at the point of birth.

He expressed optimism that the neonatal programme is apt and appropriate to help babies at point of birth, pointing out that with more than 100 health workers in attendance, the training will impact all nooks and crannies of the state thereby giving impetus to the health programme of Abia government.

Prof Kamalu told the participants to count themselves privileged and urged them to be diligent in applying the knowledge they will acquire. He added that it is their responsibility to produce the next generation of Abia children that will compete favourably anywhere, while appealing to them not to wait for human reward as God will reward them.

The training is a joint collaboration of Abia government Ministry of Health, Nigerian Society  for Neonatal Medicine ,VICAR Hope Foundation and Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa.