AN alarming report by UNICEF has revealed that one in every six children born in Katsina State dies before reaching their fifth birthday—translating to 159 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The state, with an estimated population of 9.64 million—about 4.5 million of whom are children—faces severe challenges in child health and development.
The Chief of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, Rahama Rihood Farah, shared the grim statistics during a media dialogue on Child-Sensitive Budgeting and Planning, held in collaboration with the Katsina State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
According to Farah, while efforts are being made to improve child welfare, the data remains deeply concerning.
Currently, only 41% of children in the state are fully immunized, leaving the majority exposed to preventable illnesses. Additionally, 75.5% of children suffer from multidimensional poverty, lacking access to vital services such as healthcare, education, and proper nutrition.
The report also highlighted that 61.2% of children live in monetary poverty, one-third are out of school at the primary level, and over half (51.3%) are stunted due to chronic malnutrition. Alarmingly, only 23.4% of children aged 6–23 months receive a minimally acceptable diet.
Farah pointed to a sharp decline in the social sector budget over recent years—from 38.57% in 2016 to just 12.98% in 2020—as a key contributor to the worsening indicators.
He urged urgent fiscal reforms, emphasizing that investing in children is not charity but a strategic move to break the cycles of poverty, strengthen human capital, and ensure long-term peace and prosperity.
“The domesticated Child Rights Act in Katsina must go beyond paper—it must inform budgetary decisions and concrete actions to protect and empower children,” he stressed.
The dialogue, held at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina, drew participants from various government agencies and civil society organizations, all aligning on the critical need to prioritize child well-being in policy and planning.