African health sciences
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African health sciences · Jun 2023
Challenges and recommendations for addressing under-five pneumonia morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
Pneumonia is a severe infection and one of the most common causes of mortality among children under five years of age, when not appropriately managed. Infection of the lungs by bacteria, viruses, or fungi and consequent inflammation may lead to cough and difficult breathing. Some of the key predisposing factors are malnutrition and air pollution. WHO reports that Africa has the highest burden of global child mortality, and 16% of all deaths in pneumonia, were children under five years of age in 2016. ⋯ The results from this study highlight contextual issues playing major roles in pneumonia mortality among children in Nigeria, which will need approaches on several levels to address them.