Lawmaker raises alarm over high rate infants’ death in Kwara

Hon. Maryam Yusuf Aladi, representing Ilorin South Constituency at the Kwara State House of Assembly has raised the alarm over maternal and infant mortality in the state.

The lawmaker, while addressing this on Tuesday’s plenary, said, as representatives of the people, they have to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and grow in a healthy environment.

She opined that Kwara State, like many regions in Nigeria, faces a high rate of infant mortality. She indicated that in recent statistics, approximately 69 infants per 1,000 live births do not survive beyond their first year, saying these numbers are not just figures but represent the loss of potential, dreams, and futures.

Aladi furthered that the causes of infant mortality are multifaceted, which include inadequate access to healthcare, malnutrition, preventable diseases, and lack of health education for mothers and caregivers.

She, therefore, commended the state Governor, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, for his strategic partnership and investment in the primary healthcare program, which, she said, had helped in the delivery of quality healthcare services, including the establishment
immunisation plus malaria progress by accelerating coverage (IMPACT) project in Kwara state and upgrading, equipping, and staffing all primary health care centres in Kwara state.

She, however, urged the governor to direct the primary health care agency to carry out intensive immunisation to protect infants from vaccine-preventable disease and introduce well-equipped community-based interventions such as maternal support group home visits and child care educational support across the state to mitigate infant mortality and strengthen the state capacity.