UN Warns Aid Cuts Could Reverse Nigeria’s Child Survival Progress
Nigeria’s child survival achievements are increasingly under threat as cuts to international assistance could impact access to critical health and protection services for vulnerable children.
Ensuring children survive past their fifth birthday will be a key priority in the next five years of the country programme in Nigeria, alongside re-integration efforts for children out of school, said Judith Leveillee, field chief for UNICEF Nigeria.
The report cited figures that show that approximately 10 per cent of children in Nigeria die before their fifth birthday, and that Nigeria contributes approximately 29 per cent of the world’s maternal deaths.
Malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia are still the top killers of babies in Nigeria, Leveillee said. To address these diseases, trained health workers, adequate supplies of essential medicines, immunisation programmes and mobile health services will be needed, which may be difficult to reach in communities.
The impact of poor health systems on child protection goes beyond the loss of life. Without proper care, children may suffer from long-term illness, school absences and increased risk of poverty and exploitation.
Leveillee also cautioned that climate shocks can put children at greater risk. In times of drought and other emergencies, girls may be pressured into marriage and boys may be forced out of school to work, migrate or provide for their families.
UNICEF Nigeria has already scaled down its operations and staffing due to funding constraints, and there are concerns about the ability of humanitarian organisations to continue services.
Short-term funding makes it more difficult to build systems and make sustainable improvements, Leveillee said.
The message for Nigeria’s children is loud and clear: sustained investments in health, education and social protection, especially for children in vulnerable communities, are essential to protect child survival.
