020 - THE TIME IS NOW: URGENT NEED TO TACKLE CHILDHOOD PNEUMONIA DEATHS IN NIGERIA (ID 687)
Abstract
Background
Pneumonia is the major cause of death among children under the age of 5 years, with pneumonia-associated deaths accounting for 15% of all deaths among under-five children globally. Sadly, Nigeria is the country with the highest cases of pneumonia-related deaths among children under five years globally according to a 2019 UNICEF report. Although pneumonia is a preventable and treatable disease, its burden remains relatively high in low- and middle-income countries.
Methods
The Immunisation coverage of pneumonia preventable vaccines like Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (PCV) and Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine (Hib) in Nigeria, were examined and compared against the immunisation coverage for selected high- and low-income countries not included in the list of top 15 countries with the highest estimate of pneumonia deaths among children under five years. The 2019 UNICEF Immunisation dataset on "Immunisation coverage by antigen (country, regional and global trends)", was used for this comparison.
Results
Immunisation coverage (%) of PCV and Hib antigens has been all-time low in Nigeria. In 2015, PCV3 vaccine coverage in Nigeria was 36%, while the Hib vaccine was 42%. From 2016 to 2018, the coverage level (%) for PCV and Hib vaccines both stood at 57% each. When compared to countries like Zambia, Uganda, the United Kingdom and others, Nigeria is lagging in optimal use of pneumonia preventable vaccines.
Conclusions
There is an urgent need to improve the coverage of pneumonia preventable vaccines in Nigeria, by ensuring that underserved communities access and utilise these available vaccines to help tackle pneumonia-associated deaths among under-five children in the country.
