The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has said Nigeria records about 162, 000 under-five deaths due to pneumonia annually.

The minister said this in a brief to commemorate the 2021 World Pneumonia Day in Abuja noting that about 808,920 pediatric pneumonia associated deaths and more than 100 million childhood pneumonia are estimated to occur globally on an annual basis.

He said: “Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. About three-quarters of global mortalities are estimated to occur in fourteen countries including Nigeria. Indeed, WHO estimates that Nigeria witnesses about 162,000 under- five deaths due to this disease annually.”

He noted that these unfavorable and embarrassing indices and those of the other childhood killer diseases are still responsible for the high Under-Five Mortality of 132/1000 live birth as reported by the 2018 NDHS.

He continued: “If the current trend in pneumonia related childhood mortality continues, especially with the advent of Delta variant of the Corona Virus, the SDG Under-five Mortality reduction target of having less than 25 deaths per 1000 live births will not be achieved by 2030.”

(New Telegraph)

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