Ekiti child mortality rates drop by 50% – Commissioner

Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said on Sunday that the recently released report of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey showed that the state had recorded significant improvements in its health indices.

Filani said, “The report indicated that neonatal, infant and under-five mortality in the state has reduced by over 50 per cent in the past five years”.

The commissioner said in a statement in Ado Ekiti that according to a breakdown of the report, “teenage pregnancy has reduced by 30 per cent; decreased unmet need for family planning by 30 per cent, and increased facility delivery by 14 per cent”.

He said, “With the NDHS report, Ekiti State has surpassed its expected targets set four years ago. 45,000 additional under-five lives have been saved between 2019 and 2024 representing 75 per cent of children under five that would have died if we maintain 2018 under-five mortality figures.

“Also, the state moved from 31st to 5th best performer in neonatal mortality between 2019 and 2024.

“Despite high coverage of selected interventions four years ago, the health outcomes of the state remain suboptimal and lag behind other Southwestern states.

“According to the 2019 NDHS, one in 24 infants died within the first month of births, and one in 11 children died before their fifth birthday.”

Filani, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum, said, “Several factors were responsible for the commendable stance of the current state of the state’s health sector, including strong political leadership and support of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, leading to huge investment in the health sector; regular meeting and reviews, accountability as well as teamwork.

Other strategies, Filani said, included “building aggressive partnership portfolios through demonstration of results, maintaining fiscal fidelity and ensuring accountability through which more development partners felt comfortable working with the state.

“All these strategies, among others, have not only improved health outcomes but also laid a strong foundation for a resilient and sustainable health system in Ekiti State,” Filani stated.