The National Population Commission ( NPC) said the necessary arrangements have been reached for the Commission to commence survey on verbal and social autopsy across the 23 local government areas of Rivers state.
The federal Commissioner, representing Rivers state at National population Commission, Prof. Henry Ogiri disclosed this in a media briefing with journalists in port Harcourt, while launching the 2024 Nigeria Verbal And Social Autopsy ( VASA) Study in port Harcourt.
Prof Ogiri said that the federal ministry of Health and social welfare collaborates the National Population Commission in RIvers state for the exercise.
He said,” the National population Commission (NPC) in collaboration with the federal ministry of health ( FMOH) is implementing this nation wide study” pointing out that this round of VASA study builds on previous efforts from 2014 and 2019, which provides valuable information that helped shape health policies and interventions aimed at reducing preventable deaths.
According to him, the study is follow-up to the 2023 – 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health survey that was concluded in may 2024.
Prof Ogiri opined that the Commission will be going back to the NDHS households to ask for information that will help the government understand and plan to address the biomedical and social causes of death of children under age 5 and for women of reproductive age
The NPC federal Commissioner further stated that the study will collect essential date on both maternal and child mortality, focusing on the social and health related factors that contribute to the tragic losses, adding that the information would empower decision – makers to address the underlying issues that lead to these deaths and ultimately inform policies aimed at improving maternal and child health in the state and beyond.
He asserts that the study will be conducted in selected communities throughout the state between 4 th of November to 15 th of December,2024, pointing out that the data collectors will visit households to conduct interviews with families members, gather information that will help to understand the circumstances surrounding maternal and child deaths.
He used the opportunity to urge traditional rulers, community Development Committee s( CDCs) Village heads to cooperate with the interviewers by giving them to needed information that will reflect the experiences and challenges within the communities.