By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Worried about the rate at which children die as a result of pneumonia in Jigawa State, Save the Children International (SCI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has pleaded with the Jigawa State government to speed up the implementation of the integrated pneumonia control strategy and implementation. This, it said, was aimed at ending child mortality caused by pneumonia.

The Acting Country Director of the NGO which works to ensure children’s health and welfare Chief Emmanuel Momo made the plea during the launch of the documents INSPIRING projects in Jigawa State.

He said: “Speeding up the implementation of the Basic Health care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and ensuring equitable access to health care, especially for children and families at the local levels to reduce, if not eliminate out-of-pocket expenditures are one of the best and fastest strategies to achieve the control of pneumonia.”

The Acting Country Director, who was represented by Chief Party of the INSPIRING projects in the state said: “According to Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018, the under-five death rate is 132 per 1,000 live births. Currently, the figure is much higher in Jigawa State.

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Chief Emmanuel Momo noted that “Childhood Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of these deaths, adding that “Save the Children International, through the GSK partnership is committed to continued collaboration with the Jigawa State government and contribute towards an accelerated reduction in child deaths.

“Save the Children International, through the INSPIRING project funded by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), is pleased to be part of this progress and accelerated efforts towards ending preventable child deaths due to pneumonia.”

He explained that, in line with the National Integrated Pneumonia Control Strategy, the project is implementing sustainable approaches in Jigawa and Lagos states that can be scaled at health facility and community levels.

“We believe that efforts to control pneumonia must not only seek to equip hospitals or train health care workers but also engage communities and strengthen their capacities in addressing harmful norms, behaviours and practices that put children at greater risk,” he said.

He added that “within its framework, the integrated strategy prioritizes proven interventions that demonstrate the most potential to reduce disabilities and deaths from pneumonia.”

Dr Isah maintained that these include protecting and preventing children from new cases of pneumonia through immunisation, such as the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) and Hib Vaccines, reduction of household air pollution (particularly from cooking smoke) and improved nutrition.

He added that it is easy to effectively diagnose and treat sick children using oral antibiotics (such as Amoxicillin DT) and Oxygen to manage more serious cases of pneumonia.

The Chief of Party also said the strategy seeks to strengthen the enabling environment (policy and financing, data and information systems, coordination and partnerships), demand-side (community prevention and care-seeking) and supply-side (service delivery, supply and distribution) aspects of pneumonia control.

Save the Children is confident that Jigawa State will take the lead among all other states in Nigeria towards adoption, prioritisation and implementation of the integrated pneumonia control strategy and implementation plan as part of its aims towards ending preventable child deaths,” he said.