Posted: September 1st, 2022

NURSES’ ROLE IN PREVENTION OF INFANT AND UNDER-FIVE CHILD MORTALITY IN AFRICA

NURSES’ ROLE IN PREVENTION OF INFANT AND UNDER-FIVE CHILD MORTALITY IN AFRICA
Child mortality has been a major health concern for many governments, healthcare professionals, and policymakers all over the world. There have been numerous interventions developed with the aim of lowering the mortality rates of infants and children under the age of five. According to statistics, children born in poor underdeveloped African nations are twice likely to die before their first birthday. Child mortality rates also act as an indicator of the quality, availability, and accessibility of health care services in the society and particularly for young children.
While the mortality rate of children below five years has reduced significantly by almost 30% in the past two decades, the rates are still unacceptably high. Today, approximately 11 million children five die globally every year. In 2013 alone, 6.3 million deaths of children below five were recorded, with almost half of the deaths occurring during the neonatal period. The major causes of these deaths result from several risk factors and avertible illnesses, including respiratory infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Other diseases include HIV/AIDs, Malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid, measles, and other neonatal related complications like pre-term births and other infections. However, chronic malnutrition remains the leading cause of infant and child mortality in the impoverished African setting.
Studies have shown that more than half of these untimely deaths are preventable through various health measures such as vaccination, providing micronutrient supplements, the use of antibiotics, the use of quality and treatable nets, exclusive breastfeeding practices, quality family care, among others. Mortality rates are considerably lower in nations with advanced and accessible health care systems.
According to a report released by the United Nations, nurses are considered the key players in lowering the child and infant mortality rates. Nursing is the first direct, and sometimes the only health care contact that these children will have in their first five years. Therefore, to effectively reduce the mortality rates of children under five, nurses have to be very knowledgeable about health issues facing children in Africa and be empowered to care for them.
Due to the inaccessibility of health care services particularly in rural regions in Africa, nurses are placed in communities where they are actively involved in providing critical health care services such as vaccination and caring for the children through doorstep visitations. According to studies, areas with village-based nursing services have successfully lowered the mortality rates of children below the age of five by more than 14%. This proves that the convenience and accessibility of nursing services have the impact of lowering mortality rates of children in poor African countries.

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