NPC Seeks Synergy with Health Ministry on Demographic Data, National Planning

Yinka Kolawole Osogbo

The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mr. Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), has called for a concerted effort by the Federal Ministry of Health on the collection of demographic data on health issues for national planning, monitoring and policy evaluation.

Duruiheoma made this known to newsmen at the commencement of the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in Osogbo Tuesday.

He said the demographic data is to know the rate of people who are healthy or sick, or where malaria and other diseases are more rampant so that drugs will be deployed in the place at the of end of the data collection.

According to him, NDHS would be carried out across the 36 states of the federation from August 15 to December 15 to assist countries of the world in conducting household samples to changes in population health and nutrition.

”The Nigerian demographic and health survey programme is designed by USAID with support from international donor organisations to assist countries conducting household sample surveys to monitor changes in population, health and nutrition. Data from this survey will be used to better understand the population health and nutrition situation in the country,” he said.

Duruiheoma, who was represented by the Director of NPC in Osun, Mr Julius Ayodele, said the collection of demographic data would help to foster and reinforce host-country ownership of data collection, analysis, presentation and it uses.

Ayodele further said the survey would also provide information to addressing evaluation needs of maternal, child health and family planning programmes for evidence-based.

He noted that adequate logistic arrangement for effective deployment of personnel and materials in the selected councils have been put in place for expected delivery of results.

Ayodele, who also represented the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewale, in joint speech, said the data gathered from the survey would be used to better understand the population, health and nutrition situation of the people.

He said the collection would be used to identify the medicines to be channelled to specific diseases which demands urgent attention.

He explained that the six geopolitical zones in the country would benefit from the exercise, adding that zonal tests would be carried out by all the state teams particularly the one selected state from the zone.

The director said the result of the date will be used to developed strategies for equitable growth and social poverty reduction, noting that it will be useful for some organisations.

He however appealed to states, local governments, traditional institutions and communities in the affected areas where the survey would be carried out to support the commission in carrying out the DHS and allowing field functionaries unfettered access to the selected clusters.