‘Pneumonia kills over 120,000 people yearly in Nigeria’

The Chief of Party, Save the Children International (SCI), a non-governmental organisation, Dr Adamu Isa, has said Pneumonia kills between 80,000 and 120,000 children under the age of five yearly in Nigeria.

He stated this recently while answering questions from media partners from Lagos, Jigawa states and the FCT during a two-day media roundtable discussion held in Abuja.

Dr Isa said SCI in partnership with GSK is aware of the figure related to Pneumonia.
He said “when it comes to figure, it ranges from 16% to 20%. That is from 80,000 to 120,000 deaths of children under five annually. Some years it gets higher and some years it gets lower”.

Dr Isa however, warned that caution has to be taken about some figures obtained because it all depend on which survey.

He said every five years, Nigeria calls for a National Demographic Survey that covers most parts of the country.

“Figures from this survey are much more reliable, but also some states do other surveys where they come up with their figures. So it all depend on who you listen to. Non of the above is given us an impressive figure”, he stressed.

He added that for Nigeria to achieve the target set up by World Health Organization (WHO) through their Global Action for Prevention of Pneumonia and Diarrhea, the deaths have to be reduced by 71,000 every year.

“For us to follow that call and reach the WHO target, we have to slow down the deaths. In reality, it need a lot of hard work, a lot of engagement, a lot of change in attitude, change in practice, change in Financing and many things”, he advised.