Nigeria: Consultant Says Early, Exclusive Breastfeeding Can Help Reduce Neonatal Mortality

Olukemi Tongo, a consultant neonatologist at Nigeria's University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, stressed the need for early and exclusive breastfeeding to reduce neonatal mortality in the country. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Tongo said the most common causes of neonatal deaths are related to prematurity, failure to breathe or cry at birth, and infections. The Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine (NISONM), at the annual scientific conference, organised a pre-conference workshop on ‘Helping Babies Breathe’ in collaboration with Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa. The NNIA collaborated with the Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine to train Healthcare Professionals on ‘Helping Babies Breathe” skills. 80 HCPs attended.

To help address the issue of poor education and awareness, this was also accompanied by a rally by NISONM to promote awareness on new-born care and prevention of new-born infections on 4 July 2017 in Ibadan.