A consultant paediatrician, Dr Ikeoluwa Olagunju, says birth registration of newborns is key to reducing high child mortality rate in the country.
Olagunju told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan that birth registration was an essential tool in planning for the welfare, survival, growth and development of every child.
According to her, Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest rates of newborn deaths in the world. The paediatrician, who works at the University College Hospital, Ibadan said: “In Nigeria today, the birth of a substantial share of children go unregistered despite the fact that birth registration is made compulsory under the law.
“Section 5 of the Child Rights Act of 2003, states that ‘Every child has the right to a name and the birth of every child shall be registered.
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“Birth registration is not only important for national development, it also serves as an essential tool in planning for the welfare, survival, growth and development of every child
“It also helps to government to know actual birth and mortality rate, thereby making it possible for government to make better policies.’’
She, however, said that many births would go unregistered due to deliveries at home and with traditional birth attendants.
She noted that birth registration remained the first step toward recognising a child’s absolute right as a human being.
Olagunju called on government to raise awareness, especially among rural women, on the importance of birth registration to a child’s survival.
“The future may be bleak for unregistered children if nothing is done to raise awareness on the importance of birth registration to providing access to adequate and easy healthcare,” she said.(NAN)
