One public-health specialist talk say di very high death rate for under-five children for Nigeria na big alarm, and dem need do more to protect dem small pikin.
Dr. Japhet Olugbogi for Nigeria Info say for every 1,000 pikin, about 117 dey die before dem reach five years old — dis number too high.
He talk say for Lagos especially, children dey very exposed to disease because sanitation bad, people dey defecate anyhow, and waste no dey chook well — dis one dey make pikin catch illnesses like measles, cholera, polio, pneumonia, sepsis.
Even though vaccine dey free for some places, many families no fit go clinic — either transport too cost, clinic too far, or dem dey charge extra money for other things.
But the main wahala no just be access — na distrust of government dey make people no wan vaccinate. Olugbogi talk say many people don lost trust for government activities.
Some people dey spread lie say vaccine fit make pikin no fit born again (reduce fertility), but the specialist call dis “falsehood.”
He also say some schools and church groups dey block vaccinator teams because dem fear make parents complain.
Vaccinators no too happy — e dey hard for dem: some dey face hostility when dem dey do house-to-house vaccination, plus working condition bad.
To fix am, Dr Olugbogi say dem need:
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Better public education so parents go sabi why vaccine dey important
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Train health workers to sabi communicate well
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Provide clear and reliable information for parents, so dem no dey confused.
He talk say to make pikin life better for Lagos, everybody must work together — government, community leaders, media — to protect every small pikin.
