The President of the Paediatricians Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr Ekanem Ekure, has faulted the 4.3 per cent allocation to health in the 2026 national budget, saying it underscores a troubling lack of investment in the well-being and future of the Nigerian child.
Ekure also demanded comprehensive remediation and medical intervention for victims of the Ogijo lead poisoning crisis linked to recycled battery factories, noting that the majority of those affected are children.
She said the incident should spur stronger regulatory enforcement and coordinated national action to protect vulnerable children and safeguard their future.
Ekure made the call in Abeokuta on Thursday at the opening ceremony of PAN’s 57th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, themed “Achieving SDG-3 and Child Health Care through Innovative Funding Models and Technology-Driven Solutions.”
She said the theme captured the urgency of Nigeria’s troubling child health realities and the need for swift action by professionals, government, and other stakeholders to reverse the trend.
The child health specialist disclosed that Nigeria continues to bear a disproportionate burden of preventable childhood illnesses and mortality.
“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 noted that the Ogijo lead poisoning crisis in Ogun State, arising from recycled battery factories, remained a major concern, with children being the most affected.
“While we appreciate the shutdown of offending factories, comprehensive remediation, medical intervention, regulatory enforcement, and national action to protect vulnerable children and safeguard their futures remain our demand,” she said.
She added that children across the country continue to suffer abuse in various forms, including abductions from schools and markets, particularly in the northern part of the country, in violation of their fundamental human rights.
According to her, these challenges are compounded by poverty, conflict and insecurity, climate change, and emerging health threats, stressing that paediatricians, as daily witnesses to these realities, are morally compelled to speak out.
Ekure said Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3) commits the global community to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, especially by ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under five.
“Although Nigeria’s national child health policies and strategies align with this goal, sadly, the country remains one of those considered off track in achieving it,” she said.
The PAN President said achieving SDG-3 by 2030 would require accelerated action, adequate financing, and innovative approaches beyond business as usual.
The PUNCH