NPC Anambra State Launches 23-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey
By Monic Okechukwu
The National Population Commission, NPC, Anambra State, has launched the 23-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.
The NPC Federal Commissioner representing Anambra State, Mr Chidi Ezeoke, who disclosed this in a Press briefing in Awka, the state capital, said the event symbolizes the culmination of strategic planning, collaborative effort and unwavering commitment from all participating stakeholders.
The Federal Commissioner represented by the NPC State Director, Dr Joachim Ulasi, pointed out that the occasion further underscored a collective dedication towards advancing the field of knowledge, policy formulation and crucially, the landscape of the state.
Mr Ezeoke hinted that NPC has been conducting the NDHS for over 30 years in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and key partners, adding that the current survey would be carried out in 38 select clusters in 20 of the 21 Local Government Areas in Anambra State.
According to him, “For over three decades, the National Population Commission has spearheaded the implementation of the NDHS, in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and key partners. This Survey has been instrumental in providing invaluable insight that inform evidence based policies, enhance Public health interventions, and contribute to the broader development agenda of our state. Together we have elevated this survey from a research initiative to a cornerstone of dependable demographic and health metrics for Nigeria”.
He pointed out that the target age groups for the survey are women between the ages of 15 to 49 years and between the ages of 15 to 59 years, adding that the data generated would be used in planning health and other demographic indices in the country.
The State NPC Federal Commissioner expressed gratitude to partner agencies including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Women Affairs, USAID, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO and other partners for their support towards ensuring the actualization of the survey over the years
“As we proceed on this collective journey, I would like to express gratitude to our esteemed partners and collaborators for their ongoing support to the survey.
“I sincerely thank our partner agencies including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Women Affairs,….
Special recognition to the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, the United Nations Fund, The Global Fund, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, WHO and various others”.
He further thanked Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the state government’s commitment and assistance to the activities of the Commission.
Contributing, the State NPC State Director, Dr. Joachim Ulasi, informed that the respondents would be expected to provide information on certain health issues such as mortality, Fertility immunization, HIV, family planning, COVID, as well as gender based violence such as husband or wife battery.
According to Dr Ulasi, the survey, which started at Enu- Ifite, Awka in Awka South on December 7, 2023, will end on April 21, 2024 at Oba Enu and Oba Ani in Idemili South Local Government Area.
He appealed to relevant authorities to assist in easing the jobs of the visiting teams by providing accommodation, feeding, security, local guides, as well as other necessary logistics.
In their separate presentations, the South East Zonal Coordinator of the NDHS, Mr. Oliver Mezue, and the HOD. Technical, Dr Maduagwu, intimated that the survey would capture 42,000 households across 1,400 clusters in the country to enhance the delivery of efficient healthcare services to the citizens.
In his submission, one of the participants and Deputy Chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Mr. Aloysius Anigbogu, spoke on the need to adequately engage community leaders during the exercise to help drive home the message so as to achieve desired results.
Later in a closing remark, the HOD Technical, Mrs Maduagwu, thanked all who assisted in making the occasion a success including NPC officials and Controllers from all the location government headquarters, representatives of local government chairmen and the Press.
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