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Nigeria slides further, ranks 174 of 180 in world’s child survival index

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A report released by a Commission put together by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and The Lancet, has ranked Nigeria in the bottom 10 in the child flourishing index.

The report, tagged: “A Future for the World’s Children,” which compared countries from 180 countries, ranked Nigeria in 174th position below Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and South Sudan.

The report showed that children in Norway, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands have the best chance at survival and well-being, while children in the Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia, Niger, and Mali face the worst odds.

The Commission considered several criteria such as child survival and well-being, health, education, nutrition, equity and income gaps in arriving at its report.

The report found that the health and future of every child and adolescent worldwide is under immediate threat from ecological degradation, climate change and exploitative marketing practises that push heavily processed fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol, and tobacco at children.

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According to the report, no single country is adequately protecting children’s health, their environment and their futures.

Reacting to the report, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Claes Johansson said it demonstrates how far the country needs to go to ensure children live healthy lives in an environment where they can thrive.

He said: “We know that investing in the future of our children, giving them an education and making sure they are healthy and receive the right nutrition, works to provide a better future for everyone.

“We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to protect the health and future of every Nigerian child.”

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