UNICEF: Bauchi has highest early childhood death rate in north-east

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says Bauchi state has the highest number of childhood deaths in the north-east part of Nigeria.

Stanley Garuba, UNICEF planning and monitoring specialist in Bauchi, said this on Thursday at a programme organised in collaboration between the UNICEF and the state ministry of budget and economic planning.

While speaking on the 2021 multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) and national immunisation coverage survey (NIC), Garuba said child mortality rate in Bauchi is higher than the other states in the north-east zone.

The UNICEF survey was launched by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on August 16, 2022.

The survey is focused on healthcare, education, child protection, social policy, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

According to him, the MICS survey revealed that about 153 deaths is recorded in every 1,000 births in the state.

He said the survey also showed that the number of children attending secondary schools is less that 15 percent, which is the lowest as compared to the other states in the north-east zone.

“Other findings showed that early childhood death rate is higher in Bauchi state compared to the north-east states and the national figures,” he said.

“Similarly, secondary school attendance in the state is less than 15 percent among other indicators.”