The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, represented by the Director and Head, Department of Family Health in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Salma Anas-Kolo, during the closing ceremony of a two-day stakeholders' consultation towards ministerial commitment for educated, healthy and thriving adolescents and young people in West and Central Africa, has disclosed that 66 percent of Nigerian children in rural areas could neither read nor write.
The revelation also has it that while Nigeria had a higher burden of adolescent pregnancy and child bearing, 19 percent of teenagers (15-19) were already mothers or pregnant with their first child, where the pregnant adolescent girls had poor health-seeking behavior while about 32 percent of teenage women less than 20 years didi not receive ante-natal care.
"In Nigeria", the Minister said. "the possibility of a child born and achieving its full professional and economic potentials is low; the Human Capital Index put this at 36 percent. This is lower than the average in sub-Saharan region and low and middle income countries.
"The Economic recovery and Growth Plan notes that Nigeria ranks 137 out of 140 in infant mortality rate, 10 million children are out of school, 66 percent children in rural areas cannot read or write, and 17.6 million youth are unemployed".
According to the Minister, Nigeria has the highest number of persons with HIV in the world with an estimated 1,9 million people living with HIV/AIDS.
The event was organized by the United Nations educational Scientific and Cultural Organization and UNFPA in collaboration with other UN agencies, Ministries of Health, Education, Network of Young People and Civil Society Organizations.
