Authors : F.F. Fadero, M.A. Onigbinde and O.A. Oyedeji
Abstract: A study of the trend in an institution’s childhood death is one of the means by which one can find out if the institution has made improvement in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as at 2015. There were 1,132 admissions into the St. Mary General Hospital, Eleta, Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria between January and December 2009. There were 659 males and 473 females giving a ratio of Male:Female is 1.4:1. The 119 (10.5%) children during the admission died. The childhood deaths consisted of 63 (9.6%) males and 56 (11.8%) females; a ratio of Male:Female is 1.1:1. Among the neonates, 36 (36.3%) deaths were recorded infants up to 5 years, 73 (61.3%) deaths were recorded and above 5 years, 10 (8.4%) deaths were recorded, respectively. The childhood mortality in hospitalized patients remains high especially, among the neonates and children of 1-5 years. Most deaths were due to birth asphyxia and malaria. It appears that the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in relation to mortality will be difficult to meet.
F.F. Fadero, M.A. Onigbinde and O.A. Oyedeji, 2012. Trends in Childhood Deaths in Eleta Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 7: 173-176.