Kogi, Benue, Kwara lowest in under-five mortality
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Kogi, Benue and Kwara states have the lowest cases of under-five mortality, according to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) for households, conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health.
Federal Commissioner, NPC, in charge of Kogi State, Prof. Isah Jimoh, disclosed this in Lokoja yesterday while speaking to journalists on the heels of its 2019 Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) survey being carried out to unravel the causes and determinants of neonatal, infant and child mortality in the state.
According to him, the last NDHS survey indicates that Gombe and Bauchi States had the highest under-five mortality of 331 cases each, while Kogi, Benue and Kwara had the lowest of 166 cases each.
He said the 2019 VASA which commenced nationwide on Oct 19, 2019 to end on Dec. 18, 2019, is to determine the causes and contributory factors of deaths in under-five children and assist policy makers with reliable data to plan and formulate health polices relating to maternal and child mortality. He said that the survey would also cover up-to-date information on early childhood mortality rate, estimation of prevalence and health system factors of neonatal, infant under-five mortality using the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) households. He urged government officials at all levels, security agencies, community, traditional and religious leaders, and members of the Press to give all the necessary support to ensure the success of the exercise.
Also speaking, the state Director of NPC, Mr Ojo Titus, said the exercise would be carried out in selected households in 17 out of the 21 local government areas of Kogi State. Daily Trust reports that the 2019 VASA survey was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Bureau of Statistics, among others.
Daily trust
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