700 Newborn Babies Die Every Day In Nigeria

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, revealed that an estimated 700 babies die daily in the country, highlighting the critical issue of high maternal and child mortality rates in Nigeria.

The governor made this statement yesterday during the commissioning of a newly built Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant and Neonatal Unit at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital, aimed at reducing the state’s contribution to neonatal mortality.

Governor Sani, represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, stated that these projects are a direct response to the state’s efforts to address the alarming neonatal mortality rates.

He noted that Kaduna State has the highest neonatal mortality rate in North West Nigeria.

“This is the highest number of newborn deaths in Africa and the second highest in the world. Alarmingly, 25% of all neonatal deaths occur on the first day of life, while 75% occur within the first week,” he said.

He stated that the newly commissioned neonatal unit is designed to care for newborns aged 0-28 days, offering essential services to sustain the lives of both children and their mothers.

Governor Sani mentioned that the oxygen plant construction guarantees a reliable oxygen supply to the newborn unit and other state facilities, and he recognized the crucial technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for the projects.