Mortality report reveals children's top killer

Dar es Salaam. Birth asphyxia, lower respiratory infections, prematurity, and low birth weight were the leading causes of death among children under five between 2022 and 2023.

Birth asphyxia, which involves insufficient oxygen to the brain and other organs before, during, or after birth, contributed significantly to the high mortality rate in this age group.

Other causes of death included conditions arising during the perinatal period, malaria, protein-energy malnutrition, infectious diseases, congenital anomalies, diarrhoeal diseases, and congenital heart defects.

These findings are detailed in the Annual Health Statistics Tables and Figures 2023, released by the Ministry of Health late last year.

The report shows a rise in the percentage of deaths caused by birth asphyxia, from 22.8 percent in 2022 to 23.6 percent in 2023, making it the leading cause.

Notable increases were observed in deaths from lower respiratory infections (9.6 percent to 13.6 percent), malaria (4.3 percent to 6.1 percent), and protein-energy malnutrition (3.4 percent to 4.5 percent).

Conversely, deaths from conditions arising during the perinatal period significantly declined, from 29.3 percent to 11.3 percent.

Deaths from other congenital anomalies remained stable, while those from diarrhoeal and other infectious diseases rose slightly.

A gynaecologist at Ifakara Mission Hospital in Morogoro Region, Dr Elias Kweyamba, explained that birth asphyxia can result from both foetal and maternal causes.

“Foetal factors include large babies, premature births, or breech presentations. Maternal factors involve obstructed, prolonged, or disrupted labour, bleeding before labour, high blood pressure, or a small pelvis,” he said in a telephone interview.

Dr Kweyamba emphasised that these conditions were preventable if pregnant women received timely care and skilled carers assisted during and after delivery.

On prematurity and low birth weight, the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT) President, Dr Mugisha Nkoronko, noted that factors such as multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, or more) contribute to premature births and low birth weight.

He highlighted the importance of prenatal care to reduce these risks, as babies born prematurely or with low birth weight face respiratory challenges and are more susceptible to infections.

Expectant mothers are urged to follow healthcare guidance to prevent avoidable complications,” he said.

The report also indicates that deaths from HIV and lower respiratory infections decreased between 2022 and 2023, from 8.9 percent to 7.9 percent and from 8.9 percent to 7.2 percent, respectively, for people above five years in Mainland Tanzania.

Hypertensive disease deaths increased from 4.6 percent to 6.2 percent, while other cardiovascular diseases slightly decreased from 5.6 percent to 5.1 percent among the said age group of Tanzanians.

“Road traffic accidents notably rose to 4.3 percent and reached the top 10 in 2023. Nephritis and nephrosis, as well as diabetes mellitus, showed a slight decrease from 4.3 percent to 4.0 percent and 4.7 percent to 3.8 percent in 2022 and 2023, respectively,” reads the report in part.

The document adds that deaths from other infectious diseases increased from 3.2 percent to 3.1 percent.