List Of Common Cause Of Death From Disease In Nigeria

Nigeria is burdened with many diseases. Some are common with low mortality. Others are rare with high mortality. In this post, we shall see the most common cause of death by disease in Nigeria.

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List Of Common Cause Of Death

1. Neonatal Disorders

Neonatal disorders mean disturbance of normal state of body, organs and abnormal function of a newborn. In some cases, the condition is inherited from one or both parents, or the child has an abnormality in his or her chromosomes. Other factors that sometimes contribute are maternal health and toxin exposure, prematurity, labor and delivery complications, genetic disorders, and infections.

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They are most often caused by viruses and parasites. Congenital infections include: HIV (which causes AIDS); rubella (German measles); chickenpox; syphilis; herpes; toxoplasmosis; and cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common congenital infection and the leading cause of congenital hearing loss. In 2019, the main causes of death among children aged under five in Nigeria were neonatal disorders. More specifically, 25 percent of all deaths were caused by neonatal disorders.

2. Malaria

Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat. P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

An estimated 76 percent of Nigeria’s population are at risk of malaria by living in high transmission areas. Nigeria accounts for 27 percent of malaria cases worldwide and the highest number of deaths (24 percent) due to malaria in 2019 (World Malaria Report, 2020).

3. Diarrheal Diseases

Diarrhea is usually caused by a virus, or sometimes, contaminated food. Less frequently, it can be a sign of another disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

The prevalence of childhood diarrhea in Nigeria is 18.8%, with 26% of cases treated with oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution. Amongst children below five years old, diarrhea accounts for over 16 % of deaths, estimated at 150,000 annually.

4. Lower Respiratory Infection

A lower respiratory tract infection (RTI) occurs when there is an infection of the lungs, specifically in the lower airways. This infection is usually caused by a virus, but it can also be caused by bacteria or other less common organisms. Common lower RTIs in infants and young children include: Flu.

5. HIV/AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells. HIV destroys these CD4 cells, weakening a person’s immunity against opportunistic infections, such as tuberculosis and fungal infections, severe bacterial infections and some cancers.

Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world and one of the highest rates of new infection in sub-Saharan Africa.

6. Ischemic Heart Disease

It's the term given to heart problems caused by narrowed heart arteries. When arteries are narrowed, less blood and oxygen reaches the heart muscle. This is also called coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease.

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Although the narrowing can be caused by a blood clot or by constriction of the blood vessel, most often it is caused by buildup of plaque, called atherosclerosis. When the blood flow to the heart muscle is completely blocked, the heart muscle cells die, which is termed a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI). This can ultimately lead to heart attack.

Ischemia often causes chest pain or discomfort known as angina pectoris. According to the latest WHO data published in 2018 Coronary Heart Disease Deaths in Nigeria reached 108,578 or 5.60% of total deaths. The age adjusted Death Rate is 197.37 per 100,000 of population ranks Nigeria #31 in the world.

7. Stroke

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die. The current prevalence of stroke in Nigeria is 1.14 per 1000 while the 30-day case fatality rate is as high as 40%.

8. Congenital Defects

Congenital anomalies can be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life. Also called birth defects, congenital disorders, or congenital malformations, these conditions develop prenatally and may be identified before or at birth, or later in life.

Around the world each year, an estimated 295 000 newborns die before reaching 4 weeks of age due to congenital anomalies and associated complications. In Nigeria, a report has it that the prevalence of birth defects varies from 2.1% to 5.1% of total delivery during the study period in the northern part of the country. In south-western Nigeria, the prevalence of birth defects was reported to be 15.9%. In 2017, deaths due to congenital anomalies for Nigeria was 0.05 %. Deaths due to congenital anomalies of Nigeria increased from 0.03 % in 2003 to 0.05 % in 2017 growing at an average annual rate of 4.27%.

9. Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection that usually attacks your lungs. It can also spread to other parts of your body, like your brain and spine. A type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes it. A potentially serious infectious bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs.

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The bacteria that cause TB are spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Every year, around 245,000 Nigerians die from tuberculosis (TB) and about 590,000 new cases occur (of these, around 140,000 are also HIV-positive). TB accounts for more than 10% of all deaths in Nigeria. Every hour, nearly 30 people die from the disease, despite effective treatments being available.

10. Meningitis

Inflammation of brain and spinal cord membranes, typically caused by an infection. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral infection but can also be bacterial or fungal. Vaccines can prevent some forms of meningitis.

In Nigeria, cerebrospinal meningitis is recorded all year round, the disease has predilection for the dry season with peak between January and May. It is characterized by acute severe infection of the central nervous system causing inflammation of the meninges with associated morbidity and mortality.