A Statistical Study of Death Due to Communicable Diseases in Nigeria

Abstract

Communicable diseases remain a major contributor to mortality in Nigeria, largely driven by weak health infrastructure, inadequate sanitation, and limited disease surveillance systems. A retrospective study was conducted using World Health Organization mortality data covering the period 2018 to 2021. The analysis focused on deaths attributed to ten major communicable diseases, including malaria, lower respiratory tract infections, diarrhoeal diseases, tuberculosis, birth asphyxia and birth trauma, complications of preterm birth, neonatal sepsis and other infections, meningitis, and HIV/AIDS. The annual and overall proportionate mortality was determined using descriptive statistics; the normality was confirmed using Shapiro-Wilk tests (p > 0.05) permitting one-way ANOVA (α = 0.05) to determine time difference. Lower respiratory infections (21.0%) and malaria (20.9%), major contributors, accounted for >40% of deaths; followed by diarrhea diseases (18.1%) and tuberculosis (10.3%); lesser contributors include neonatal sepsis (5.0%), meningitis (4.3%), and HIV/AIDS (4.2%). Many diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS show a declining trend. Results of ANOVA (F = 4.95, p = 0.0081) indicated significant differences across years. Tukey’s post hoc test indicated lower mortalities in 2021 than 2018-2019. The findings indicate that the burden of the leading causes has been reduced slightly, but the progress remains insufficient. Increased funding for vector control, immunization, maternal-neonatal care, disease surveillance systems, and equitable allocation of resources can help accelerate the reduction in mortality