Assessment of Rate and Risk Factors of Child Mortality in Nigeria

Abstract

Child right to survival is a building block towards the realization of a child's potential and on it hinges the basic rights of children, but many children do not live to enjoy this right. This study examined the rate and risk factors of child Mortality in Nigeria to ascertain the risk factors that significantly affects child mortality. Estimates of mortality rate and some number of indicators on the situation of women and children for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory were used for the analysis. The study shows that from 1960 to the late 1990s there has been a decrease in child mortality by almost 50%, then an increase between 2000 and 2005 followed by a sudden decrease. For the purpose of robustness, factor analysis and a model selection procedure were used. Results from the backward regression procedure using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) shows that maternal and environmental risk factors (Immunization, Poor sanitation, Early child bearing and the use of solid fuels) impact significantly on child mortality in Nigeria due to low Immunization, poor health care system, poor environmental sanitation, early child bearing and use of solid fuels etc. The study, therefore calls for urgent action and greater national priority on child survival through interventions that will be integrated at community and family levels, targeting pregnant women, under-five children and accessing the hard to reach in order to improve child survival in Nigeria.