At the Nassarawa Primary Health Centre, in Yola, capital of Adamawa State, nine-month-old, pale and thin Baby Habibat, being cuddled by her mother is suffering from malnutrition induced by acute diarrhea, which is caused by rotavirus.
“First she started stooling frequently, then vomiting and gradually started losing weight,” her mother Aisha summarised how her baby got to that point.
The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria, FOMWAN, has called for an immediate increase in the national health budget.
The association, a member of the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) project, said that said the budget should not only be increased but should be released on time and used judiciously.
In its effort to bring healthcare awareness to the grassroots, Federation of Muslim Women's Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), has partnered with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and religious leaders of the Muslim community on issues of child and family health.
The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), has disclosed that Kaduna State has the second highest rate of childhood death from Diarrhoea and Pneumonia related diseases.
The group stated this during a media dialogue with traditional rulers, religious leaders and faith based organizations held in Kaduna.
The Head of FOMWAN/PACFaH Project, Hajiya Farida Sada Yusuf said the diarrhoea rate in the state is 16 percent while pneumonia is 13 percent for children under 5 years.
The Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFAH) has called on the federal government to also consider eliminating childhood diseases such as Pneumonia and Diarrhoea.
This is because about 23 percent of infant mortality has been linked to the duo.
The United States Agency for International Development, USAID, has disclosed that approximately 100,000 children die from diarrhoea in Nigeria annually.
USAID Chief of Party, Dr. Ayodele Iroko, made this known at the Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector, SHOPS, project in Makurdi.
