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Paediatric emergency medicine practice in Nigeria: a narrative review
Joy N Eze1,2, Benedict O Edelu3,4, Ikenna K Ndu5,6
1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria/University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu, 400001, Nigeria. joy.eze@unn.edu.ng.
Insights
Paediatric emergency medicine in Nigeria faces significant challenges, impacting child survival rates. Addressing these issues is crucial for improving outcomes in emergency care settings.
Area of Science:
- Paediatric Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Systems Analysis
- Child Health Outcomes
Background:
- Paediatric emergency care in Nigeria is underdeveloped.
- Significant challenges hinder effective emergency medical services for children.
- Childhood illnesses presenting as emergencies contribute to high mortality rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state of paediatric emergency medicine in Nigeria.
- To identify challenges in paediatric emergency care.
- To propose solutions for reducing child deaths in emergency units.
Main Methods:
- This is a narrative review.
- The review discusses existing structures, organization, and practice.
- It highlights challenges and suggests improvements.
Main Results:
- Paediatric emergency medicine in Nigeria is evolving but faces substantial obstacles.
- Inadequate capacity, equipment, and funding impact service quality.
- Adverse outcomes and deaths are linked to these systemic issues.
Conclusions:
- Urgent improvements in capacity, equipment, and funding are needed.
- Addressing identified challenges can reduce child mortality in Nigerian emergency units.
- Strengthening paediatric emergency care is vital for child survival.
Abstract:
The practice of paediatric emergency medicine in Nigeria is still evolving, and laden with enormous challenges which contribute to adverse outcomes of childhood illnesses in emergency settings. Deaths from childhood illnesses presenting as emergencies contribute to overall child mortality rates in Nigeria. This narrative review discusses existing structures, organization, and practice of paediatric emergency in Nigeria. It highlights some of the challenges and suggests ways of surmounting them in order to reduce deaths in the children emergency units in Nigerian hospitals. Important aspects of this review include current capacity and need for capacity development, equipment needs for emergency care, quality of service in the context of inadequate healthcare funding and the need for improvement.
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