‘70% of births in Kaduna not registered’

The Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Hadiza Balarabe, yesterday disclosed that only 30 percent of babies born in the state were currently registered.

She spoke in Kaduna at a one day stakeholders’ strategic meeting on birth registration organised by the National Population Commission with support from UNICEF.

She blamed the low birth registration for the poor coverage of routine immunization.

“Kaduna state over time has recorded poor coverage in terms of birth registration and we believe that if we review the number of children that are registered, it will help in providing services that will capture all of them on interventions for their survival and development. Getting children registered gives them identity and also helps government to provide the needed interventions that will improve their health status and chances of survival. You cannot provide services for somebody you have not planned for,”

“We have recorded a high rate of infant and child mortality from preventable diseases. So, there is need for massive awareness campaign to parents/guardians and care givers on the importance of birth registration because when a child is not covered by immunisation, it gives room for vulnerability, which is capable of putting other children at risk,” she said noting that with support from UNICEF, the state government through the Primary Healthcare Agency will make significant improvement on birth registration so as to provide interventions for vulnerable children under five,” she said.

Earlier, the Head of Vital Registration at NPC, Kaduna State Office, Umaru Adamu, identified ignorance and inadequate registration centres as factors responsible for poor birth registration in the state. He said that there are insufficient registration centres in the state.