Only three out of ten births take place in healthcare facilities in Bauchi, a factor that has contributed to high child mortality rates in the state.

The report from the National Demographic Health Survey, NDHS, further revealed that 68.9 percent of deliveries take place outside health facilities.

This is as NDHS expressed concern over limited access to postnatal care and immunization which `jeopardizes child health.

It reveals similar challenges in neighbouring Gombe and Taraba States while calling for the urgent need for improved maternal and child healthcare services.

Similar patterns were observed in neighbouring states, with 67 percent of births occurring at home in Taraba and five out of ten births taking place outside health facilities in Gombe.

Furthermore, the report indicates that only three out of ten children in Bauchi and Taraba receive postnatal care while just half of infants in Gombe have access to these essential services.

Alarmingly, three out of ten children in the states also lack access to immunizations.

A paediatrician with Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Dr Adah Ruth, reviewed the report from the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS)

She lamented the human loss inherent in child mortality, noting that each child carries a unique potential.

Speaking at a UNICEF-organized media dialogue in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Thursday, she described each child’s life as “a potential to solve problems,” and each loss as a missed opportunity.

Dr Ruth explained that a country’s mortality rate reflects its political will, healthcare quality, socio-economic development, and environmental health.

“The death of a child signifies a broader societal issue,” she said.

“If Elon Musk had died as a baby, the world might be without some of his innovations today. This underscores that every child deserves a chance to live, and it’s our collective responsibility to reduce child mortality.”

According to her, the World Health Organization, WHO and Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, target a reduction in the neonatal mortality rate to 17 per 1,000 live births by 2030.

She added that, however, as of 2023, Nigeria’s neonatal mortality rate stands at 41 per 1,000 births, in stark contrast to countries like the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, which report rates around 3 percent, and Ghana at 21.

Child Mortality: Majority of births occur outside health facilities in Bauchi, others – Experts, NDHS