Nigeria to improve medical access, especially for children

The Nigerian government would leverage on pediatricians to improve health service for children, Minister of Health Isaac Adewole said Wednesday.

The minister spoke at the 48th Annual Conference of Pediatric Association of Nigeria held in the northern city of Kaduna.

He said the government had embarked on the revitalization of 10,000 Primary Health Care Centers across the country in its bid to expand access to healthcare services.

Though there were significant improvements in the health indices, Nigeria still needed to do more in providing succor to children displaced by crisis, the minister said.

According to him, reduction in infant and under-five mortality rates from 91 to 75 and 191 to 89 deaths per 1,000 live births respectively between 1990 and 2015 is commendable, "though not taking us to the desired targets."

Adewole challenged the participants to come up with recommendations "that could be useful for the resettlement and medical rehabilitation of displaced children and their families.

Earlier, President of the Pediatrics Association Ngozi Ibeziaku urged the government to provide free medical services to the most vulnerable under-five in the country. Endit