Audit of Childhood Mortality in Jos, Nigeria

Background : Reducing childhood mortality is a cardinal and critical goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which is only possible if the causes of deaths are known. This study describes the pattern of childhood mortality at a Nigerian tertiary paediatric centre. Methodology : A register had been opened between August 2005 and July 2007 where all deaths in the department of Paediatric, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), were recorded. Data from this register were reviewed retrospectively to describe the pattern of mortality. Results : A total of 4071 admissions were made during the study period. There were 191 (4.7%) deaths recorded, 107 males and 84 females. Median age at admission was 27 days, range 17 minutes to 17 years. Median age at death was 43.5 days, range eight hours to 6257 days. Median duration of hospital stay before death was three days with a range of 15 minutes to 43 days. Cumulatively, there were 92(48.2%) neonatal, 133(69.6%) infants and 174(91.1%) under five deaths. Majority of the causes of death, 65.4 % were due to group I Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), related to prematurity and perinatal complications, infections and malnutrition. Conclusions : Commonest causes of childhood deaths in Jos are due to perinatal conditions and infections.