Insecurity in northern Nigeria: Implications for maternal and child health

In this paper, I discussed the implications of insecurity in Northern Nigeria for maternal and child health. Africa continues to top the chart and suffers from the highest rates of child mortality. Nigeria, the eighth most populous country in the world and the most populous country in Africa with over 200 million populace, accounts for 20% of all global maternal deaths with a daunting maternal mortality ratio of 800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Northern Nigeria has become a hub of joblessness, illiteracy, early/child marriage, maternal mortality and terrorism. The Boko Haram humanitarian crisis has led to over 37,500 deaths with 2.4 million internally displaced citizens with severe impacts in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Gombe predominantly leading to physical and food insecurity. The deleterious effect of conflict on maternal and child health has a broad expanse such as lack of shelter, safe and sanitary facilities, food shortage, dearth of healthcare personnel and reduced access to quality health services. Socioeconomic inequalities such as maternal education, sanitary conditions and family health are existent in these areas. It is paramount to buttress on the aspect of insecurity as it affects maternal and child health of the population. There is a need for the Nigerian government to pay attention to this region in timely manner. Essential health services should be improved on in those regions. Funding should be allocated in abating conflicts and insecurity in northern Nigeria.