A five-year review of childhood mortality at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

Introduction: The present study sought to provide a comprehensive description of causes of mortality in a local Nigerian children population as a measure of their health status. Methods and patients: A retrospective study of the pattern of mortality among 12,522 children admitted into all the six wards of the department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital, Ibadan during a five-year period (January 1996 - December 2000) was done. Results: There were 1,185 deaths with an overall mortality rate of 9.5 per cent. There was no significant change in childhood mortality rate over the five years reviewed. Of the 1185 deaths, 48.8% occurred within 24 hours and neonatal deaths accounted for 50.8% of the total number of deaths. The leading causes of death were neonatal tetanus, Prematurity/low birth weight, neonatal septicaemia, severe birth asphyxia, meningitis, severe malaria, pneumonia, septicaemia, severe malnutrition, and measles. Deaths from sickle cell anaemia were found only among children above 5 years of age. Conclusions: Majority of deaths occurred in neonates and were preventable.