Abstract In the year 2000, the World Health Organization launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were to be achieved in 2015. Though most of the goals were not achieved, a follow-up post 2015 development agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was launched in 2015, which are to be achieved by 2030. Maternal mortality reduction is a focal goal in both the MDGs and SDGs. Achieving the maternal mortality target in the SDGs requires multiple approaches, particularly in developing countries with high maternal mortality. Low-income developing countries rely to a great extent on macro determinants such as public health expenditure, which are spent mostly on curative health and health facilities, to improve population health. To complement the macro determinants, this study employs the systematic review technique to reveal significant micro correlates of maternal mortality. The study searched MEDLINE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Science Direct, and Global Index Medicus of the World Health Organization. Our search was time framed from the 1st January, 2000 to the 30th September, 2016. In the overall search result, 6758 articles were identified, out of which 33 were found to be eligible for the review. The outcome of the systematic search for relevant literature revealed a concentration of literature on the micro factors and maternal mortality in developing countries. This shows that maternal mortality and micro factors are a major issue in developing countries. The studies reviewed support the significant relationship between the micro factors and maternal mortality. This study therefore suggests that more effort should be channelled to improving the micro factors in developing countries to pave the way for the timely achievement of the SDGs’ maternal mortality ratio (MMR) target.

This article is carried out through an analysis of the influence of crude oil prices on the standard of living in Nigeria by using additional variables as supporters, such as crude oil income, inflation, and exchange rates. According to data availability, the utilization data used in this study is the annual time series data from 1981-2019. The main findings are: (1) there is a long-term equilibrium connection among the series. (2) crude oil price has a negative impact on the standard living. (3) crude oil revenue negatively affects the standard of living. (4) inflation has a negative impact on the standard of living. (5) exchange rate positively affects the standard of living. (6) convergence speed indicates that system movement to the equilibrium path is quick. Therefore, this implies that despite the abundance of oil in the country. The masses do not witness its impact. Diagnostic checks confirmed the perfectness of the model. DOLS, FMOLS and CCR as robustness checks revealed similar results with ARDL long-run results.

Acute respiratory tract infections, predominantly bronchopneumonia, are one of the leading causes of infant deaths in developing countries and around the world. This work models the effects of the significant risk factors on infants' bronchopneumonia status and also fits some reduced models and determines the best model with minimum number of parameters. The data for this study consist of a random sample of 433 births to women seen in the obstetrics clinic of two sampled tertiary health institutions in north-central Nigeria. These include University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Abuja, and Federal Medical Center (FMC) Keffi, Nasarawa State. Binary logistic regression was used to identify and model the effects of the various risk factors while stepwise regression technique was used to fit some reduced logistic regression models. Then the best fitting model with minimum number of parameters was identified using likelihood ratio statistic. It was observed that baby's weight at birth, baby's weight four weeks since birth, and mother's occupation have significant effects on infant's bronchopneumonia status. Additionally, among the four fitted reduced models, model4 is the best predictor of infants' bronchopneumonia status, followed by model3 and then model2. Therefore, community service like home visiting for health education, supplementation of vitamin A, etc., would be an advantage if provided for teenaged pregnant women as it would, in turn, reduce incidence of low birth weight and thereby reduce bronchopneumonia infection among these children.

High maternal mortality in the developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, poses serious challenge to achieving the maternal mortality target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the countries. Hence, there is need for multifaceted approach to curtailing the scourge. Women being the victims of maternal mortality, this study finds the effect of their household decision making power in reducing maternal mortality. The study used data from the 2013 Nigeria Health and Demographic Survey (NDHS) and logistic regression model to explore the relationship between women household decision making power and maternal mortality in Nigeria. The finding shows that women who decide and participate in household decision on own health, major purchases and visit to family and relatives were 35% (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.83), 27% (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.92), and 37% (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.80) less likely to experience maternal mortality, respectively, compared to those whose husbands alone decide. Women household decision making power is therefore instrumental to reducing maternal mortality. It is thus important for policy makers, particularly in Nigeria, to pay more attention to social and cultural factors that surround women household decision making ability for speedy reduction in maternal deaths.

No abstract