At the unveiling of the Nigerian Child Survival Action Plan (NCSAP) and the National Birth Defect Surveillance Guideline, a sobering revelation once again confronted the nation: an estimated 850,000 Nigerian children still die every year from causes that are largely preventable. This staggering figure, representing one of the highest child mortality burdens in the world, underscores the gravity of Nigeria’s lingering health crisis and the persistent failure to provide the most basic protection for its youngest citizens.
Despite renewed commitments, authorities admitted that Nigeria remains off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing under-five mortality to fewer than 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by the year 2030. This acknowledgement, while troubling, is hardly shocking. For years, Nigeria has consistently underinvested in its healthcare system. The World Health Organization recommends that nations allocate at least 20 percent of their budgets to health, yet the proposed 2025 health budget stands at a meagre 5.18 percent. Even the 15 percent benchmark set in the 2001 Abuja Declaration continues to elude the country. With such chronic underfunding, it is unsurprising that preventable diseases continue to claim young lives at an alarming rate.
Still, there is room for cautious optimism. The newly launched Nigerian Child Survival Action Plan and the National Birth Defect Surveillance Guideline were developed in partnership with various stakeholders to strengthen coordination across health, education, nutrition, and child-protection sectors. If faithfully implemented, these initiatives could mark a turning point in reversing negative trends that have long plagued Nigeria’s child health indicators. They offer a comprehensive approach, that goes beyond isolated interventions, and instead situates child survival within a broader social and developmental context.
The Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, expressed a strong sense of urgency, emphasising the need to scale up priority interventions capable of improving child health outcomes nationwide. According to him, a viable child survival strategy is indispensable not only for immediate health improvements but also for ensuring the long-term human-capital development that drives national growth. He described the NCSAP as a collective national aspiration, one that seeks to reduce under-five mortality to below 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. He also underscored the importance of adhering strictly to the Birth Defect Surveillance Guideline at all levels of the healthcare system. For him, the responsibility for success lies heavily in stakeholders’ ability to implement these policies effectively at the subnational level, where most citizens interact directly with the health system and where the greatest opportunities for life-saving interventions exist.
Yet, as commendable as these plans and pronouncements appear, Nigeria’s health crisis demands more than rhetoric, policy documents, and ceremonial launches. The country must confront the deeper structural issues that have historically undermined its health sector. The first and most urgent is funding. Without a significant increase in budgetary allocation, the dreams embedded within the NCSAP will remain nothing more than aspirational text. A properly funded health system is the foundation upon which all other interventions are built.
In addition, health insurance coverage remains grossly inadequate. The current enrollment figures are far too low to provide meaningful protection for millions of Nigerians, especially women and children, who depend on public services for survival. Expanding health insurance to cover more people, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, is essential if Nigeria hopes to reduce out-of-pocket spending and promote equitable access to care.
Maternal health should also be treated as an urgent national priority. The wellbeing of newborns is inseparable from the health of their mothers. A nation that fails to ensure safe pregnancies and deliveries cannot hope to achieve significant progress in child survival. Improving antenatal care, strengthening emergency obstetric services, and ensuring skilled attendance at birth must therefore be central components of any child-survival strategy.
Equally important is education, particularly of the girl child, and broad-based awareness creation among the population. Educated mothers are more likely to seek timely medical care, adopt healthy childcare practices, and make informed decisions that enhance family wellbeing. Public health campaigns that dispel myths, encourage early treatment, and promote preventive practices must accompany any technical intervention aimed at reducing child mortality.
Finally, the Minister of Health and his team must demonstrate unwavering commitment to implementing these new initiatives long after the spotlight fades. Nigerians have witnessed many ambitious plans launched with great fanfare only to be abandoned or under-implemented. To avoid repeating that pattern, the government must ensure transparency, accountability, and sustained follow-through. The health authorities under Professor Pate’s watch must strive not merely to speak about change but to enact it.
Nigeria cannot afford to lose any more children to preventable causes. The country stands at a critical crossroads, and the choices made today will determine whether the next generation thrives or continues to suffer avoidable loss. Now is the time for decisive action, not promises.
