The Paediatricians Association of Nigeria (PAN) has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to allocate only 4.3 per cent of the 2026 national budget to health, describing it as inadequate and a clear sign of poor prioritisation of child welfare.
Speaking at the association’s 57th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Abeokuta on Thursday, PAN President, Dr. Ekanem Ekure, said the allocation falls far below the 15 per cent benchmark set by the Abuja Declaration, underscoring Nigeria’s lack of commitment to child health.
Ekure also raised alarm over the Ogijo lead poisoning crisis in Ogun State, linked to recycled battery factories, which has disproportionately affected children. While commending the closure of the offending factories, she demanded comprehensive remediation, medical intervention, and stronger regulatory enforcement to safeguard vulnerable children.
Highlighting Nigeria’s troubling child health indicators, she noted persistently high neonatal and under-five mortality rates (41 and 110 per 1,000 live births respectively), malnutrition, poor immunisation coverage, and inequitable access to healthcare. She stressed that poverty, insecurity, climate change, and emerging health threats further compound these challenges.
“Despite notable efforts, our country still grapples with high neonatal and under-five mortality rates of 41 and 110 per 1,000 live births respectively, persistent malnutrition, suboptimal immunisation coverage, and inequitable access to quality child health services, among other challenges,” she said.
Ekure urged the government to treat child health as a national development priority, calling for innovative funding models such as public-private partnerships, blended financing, and outcome-based funding. She also advocated the use of technology to improve immunisation tracking, disease surveillance, and access through telemedicine.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, represented by Deputy Director of Child Health, Dr. Omokore Oluseyi, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing child mortality. He announced the finalisation of the National Child Survival Action Plan, which focuses on evidence-based interventions including newborn resuscitation, integrated nutrition services, and community-based management of childhood illnesses.
Salako acknowledged that Nigeria accounts for over 17 per cent of global under-five deaths, with preventable conditions such as prematurity, pneumonia, malaria, and malnutrition being the leading causes. He called for stakeholder support to overcome operational challenges in newborn care, nutrition, and digital health.
In his keynote lecture, Prof. Olugbenga Mokolu of the University of Ilorin emphasised the importance of innovative financing and technology-driven solutions in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3), which targets the reduction of preventable child deaths by 2030.
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