See Why Nigerian Parents Must Wake Up - Child Deaths Rise

Photo: The Punch

My people, I bring you news that will make your heart heavy. The United Nations just dropped a report that should make every Nigerian parent sit up straight - 4.9 million children worldwide didn't see their fifth birthday in 2024. That's almost 5 million pikin wey no reach five years old!

Now, before you think say na only foreign countries dey suffer this thing, make I burst your bubble. Nigeria dey among the countries wey contribute heavily to this heartbreaking statistics. E pain me to talk am, but our beloved Nigeria still dey struggle with child mortality rates wey fit make person cry.

The Real Talk About Nigerian Children

According to the latest data wey I gather, Nigeria still get one of the highest child mortality rates for West Africa. Every year, hundreds of thousands of our children dey die before dem reach five years - and the sad part be say most of these deaths fit prevent if we get better healthcare system.

The main culprits wey dey kill our pikin them include:

• Pneumonia: This one na major killer of small children for Nigeria. When you see your child dey cough anyhow, no joke with am.
• Diarrhea: Dirty water and poor sanitation dey cause this, and e fit kill child very fast if you no treat am quickly.
• Malaria: Our number one enemy for Nigeria. Mosquito bite fit turn to death sentence for small children.
• Birth complications: Many women no get access to proper medical care during delivery.
• Malnutrition: When pikin no chop well, their body no fit fight sickness.

What Every Nigerian Parent Must Know Now

Brothers and sisters, make I tell you wetin you need to know to protect your children:

Vaccination na key: Make sure say your pikin get all their vaccines on time. Federal government don make many vaccines free, so no get excuse. From BCG to measles vaccine, follow the immunization schedule religiously.

Watch that fever: Any time your child get fever wey pass 24 hours, carry am go hospital immediately. No be joke something. Malaria fit kill pikin within days if you no treat am.

Clean water na life: If you no get access to clean water, make you boil water before you give your pikin. Dirty water dey cause plenty sickness wey fit kill.

The Progress Wey We Don Make

I no go lie, things don improve small small for Nigeria compared to like 20 years ago. Child mortality rates don reduce, but e still high pass wetin we suppose get. Countries like Ghana and Rwanda don overtake us for child survival rates, and that one suppose pain us as Nigerians.

The federal government don launch several programs like the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and the National Health Insurance Scheme to help improve access to healthcare. But honestly, the implementation still get gaps wey need attention.

What Doctors Dey Say

Medical experts for Nigeria dey always emphasize say most child deaths fit prevent if parents know what to do. Simple things like:

• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months
• Regular medical check-ups
• Proper nutrition after six months
• Clean environment
• Quick response to illness symptoms

These small small things fit save your pikin life.

The Way Forward

Make I talk true - if we wan reduce child mortality for Nigeria, everybody get role to play. Government must improve healthcare infrastructure, especially for rural areas where plenty people no get access to quality medical care.

As parents, we must educate ourselves about child health. Know the danger signs, know when to rush go hospital, and no depend on traditional medicine alone when your pikin dey seriously sick.

Community leaders too get role to play. We need better sensitization programs wey go teach parents about child health and survival.

Hope Dey

Despite all these challenges, I still get hope for Nigeria. Many states like Lagos and Kaduna don implement programs wey dey work to reduce child mortality. If we fit replicate these successes across all 36 states, we go see better results.

The truth be say every child wey die before age five na tragedy wey we fit prevent. As Nigerians, we must do better. Our children deserve to grow up, go school, and contribute to the development of our great nation.

So my people, make we all wake up. Whether na government official, parent, or community member, we all get something to contribute to make sure say our children survive and thrive. The 4.9 million figure wey UN release na reminder say we still get plenty work to do, but with collective effort, we fit change the narrative for Nigeria.