189 children die out of 1,000 births in Gombe – UNICEF

From David Hassan, Gombe

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed that out of 1,000 children born alive, 189 die before the age of 5 years in Gombe far higher than the average deaths in Northeast region.
Chief of Field Office UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Mr. Bhanu Pathak made this known yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at Government House chamber.
He said maternal newborn and child health services is still below 19 percent births delivered by skilled birth attendant with 46.4 percent pregnant women that receive ANC from skilled providers.
Mr Pathak while confirming the incident said 8 out of every 10 pregnant women are at higher risk of dying from pregnancy related cases.
According to him, these deaths can easily be linked even as he said 76 out of 114 wards across the 11 local government areas do not have functional Primary Health Care center.
He noted that only 4 out of 114 wards have at least to midwives,adding that all PHC facilities the state experience stock out of essential commodities.
UNICEF have been partner with Gombe state government for years in the Education sector to see that children who are out of school revive their education he said.
Gombe state governor Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya pledged support to partner with UNICEF which according to him, his administration has approved N25millon counterpart fund for its activities noting that subsequently will be increase from 70to 100percent before the year runs out.
Governor Yahaya who appreciated with UNICEF said he was with UNICEF sometime in New York collaborating with them on the need to facilitate it’s activities effectively in Gombe.