The National Population Commission (NPC) in Ebonyi says its team that is conducting the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) will collect data from 34 clusters in 12 of the 13 local government areas of the state.
The commission’s Director in the state, Mrs Julie Manyike, disclosed this at a news conference on the 2023/2024 NDHS on Thursday in Abakaliki.
Manyike said that NPC spearheaded the implementation of the NDHS in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and key partners.
She said the survey had been instrumental to providing invaluable insights that informed evidence-based policies, enhanced public health interventions and contributed to the broader development agenda of the nation.
The director explained that the survey would aid policy formulation, programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.
She said “it will foster and reinforce country ownership of data collection, analysis, presentation and use; increase the capacity of the country to collect and use data for policy and purposes.
“The NDHS is a national survey, conducted every five years with the last exercise done in 2018.
“A total of 34 clusters will be visited in 12 out of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi, with the exception of Afikpo South.
“Each selected household in a cluster will be visited and information obtained, using the household questionnaire from women, aged 15 to 49 years and men, aged 15 to 59 years.
“The Ebonyi State team has completed two local government areas — Ezza North and Ezza South and currently in Ikwo.”
The director thanked the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Global Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, WHO, among others, for their support.
Dr Jeremiah Nwankwagu, the NPC Commissioner Nominee for Ebonyi, commended the team for work done so far, saying “we are happy that the programme has been going on smoothly.”
Dr Moses Ekuma, the Commissioner for Health in Ebonyi, represented by Dr Hyacinth Ebenyi, the Director, Public Health, pledged the state government’s support toward a successful survey.