Paediatricians blame armed conflict for rise in child trauma

The Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON) says armed conflicts around the country and growing urbanization are fuelling increase in trauma to children, and necessitating need for separate children’s hospitals. APSON president, Dr James Adeniran, said trauma to young children “is now perhaps a problem that is at par with infectious diseases and malnutrition […]

The Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON) says armed conflicts around the country and growing urbanization are fuelling increase in trauma to children, and necessitating need for separate children’s hospitals.

APSON president, Dr James Adeniran, said trauma to young children “is now perhaps a problem that is at par with infectious diseases and malnutrition due to increased urbanization and armed conflicts.”

“We want to tackle trauma and malnutrition,” Adeniran said at APSON’s 14th scientific conference in Abuja on Thursday.

“A lot of the children we operate on die because we don’t have proper nutrition for them.”

APSON has also called for separate hospitals—at least mapped according to geopolitical zones—that cater for children differently from adults, staffed by paediatric surgeons, doctors, nurses.

Adeniran said Nigeria was not “providing enough” services for children compared to countries like South Africa, considering resources at national disposal.

“We have enough to provide free services for all our children. We should have separate hospitals for children,” he explained.

“We should not lump children with adults because the services we provide for them are different.”