Interrogating the Incidence of Maternal and Child Mortality in Abia State: Assessment of how the Millennium Development Goals were attained

Abstract

Maternal and child mortality remains a nightmare in Nigeria. Nigeria has one of the highest rates of maternal and child mortality. The aim of the study is to examine the extent to which the MDGs were attained given the prevailing maternal and child mortality situation in Abia State with a view to recommending ways of significantly reducing maternal and child mortality in the State. The study was anchored on Thaddeus and Marine’s Three Delays Mode, Functionalist Theory and Eco-Social theory. The study was be based on cross sectional survey of key facilities in the state that offer maternal and child health services and samples of women of child bearing age, as well as of different categories of health care-givers and administrators in the State.  A sample size of 679 respondents was obtained with the following results: a majority of the respondents were above 34 years (27.54%), married(57.58%), farming (34.70%) within the monthly income bracket of N30,000 – N39,999 (34.02%), Christians (80.70%), rural residence (66.42%), age at death 31-34years (38.21%), age at first marriage 31-34 (38.80%) number of children ever born ≤2 (38.10%), spacing observed (60.24%), bio medical causes of death(85.88%), causes associated with human factor indicated negligence/carelessness of victims (25%), lack of finance for medication as a major cause of child mortality (60.62%) and age one year and below as the modal age of child mortality (40.76%). The study recommends early age at first marriage, sensitization of pregnant women to reduce negligence and carelessness, government and its agencies should make Medicare free for pregnant/ post-partum women and under five children.