The Nigerian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, as its second-ever scientific conference in Abuja, said, infectious diseases among children continue to be “very important causes of childhood morbidity and mortality.”
“It is pertinent that we continue to develop ways of overcoming the challenges faced in the management of these diseases,” said NISPID president Dr Kikelomo Osinusi.
Dr Adaora Okechukwu, consultant paediatrician at University of Abuja Teaching Hosptial, said NISPID, with affiliation to a global groups on paediatric infectious disease was informed and “able to play a very good advocate to bring the diseases burden downward.”
NISPID in particular raised concern about vaccine-preventable diseases that need new vaccines introduced into child healthcare, control of childhood tuberculosis, use of antimicrobials in child healthcare, nosocomial (or hospital-acquired) infections and expanding access to HIV/AIDS treatment to cover children and adolescents.
Up to 10% of Nigeria’s children contribute to the global burden of HIV/AIDS, but only one out of every five children infected with the virus are on treatment, according to NISPID paediatricians.
The society advocates a decentralised access to HIV therapy and engagement of private sector, as well as integration of paediatric HIV and maternal and child health services amidst altered government policies.
At present, doctors find difficulty in monitoring response to HIV treatment because tools for measuring viral load are inadequate, said Dr Osawaru Oviawe, vice president of NISPID.
“And very soon those materials may even disappear because the donors may even give up sponsoring that kind of programme,” he told Daily Trust.
“This society should be able to talk to government in ways...so they can modify treatment. Most of the things we have on ground are donor sponsored. When they finish, the programme dies. We have to ensure the work of these donor agencies are not allowed to elapse into a vacuum.”
By Judd-Leonard Okafor
Daily Trust
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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