The 2023/2024 edition of Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) has commenced Bayelsa State.
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This was disclosed by Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo, mni, the Hon. Federal Commissioner representing Bayelsa State in the National Population Commission during a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Ekeki-Yenagoa.
Mrs. Izonfuo said that the NDHS is conducted every five years in Nigeria and serves as a comprehensive national household survey, offering crucial data on population, health, and nutrition monitoring and impact evaluation indicators.
She explained that the National Population Commission has been leading the efforts in conducting the NDHS for over three decades, in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and other key partners.
“Together, we have elevated this survey from a research initiative to a cornerstone of dependable demographic and health metrics for Nigeria. The NDHS has been instrumental in providing invaluable insights that inform evidence-based policies, enhance public health interventions, and has contributed to the broader development agenda of our nation”.
“The 2023/2024 NDHS, the 7th in the DHS series in Nigeria, symbolizes the culmination of strategic planning, collaborative efforts, and unwavering commitment from all participating stakeholders. Respondents for the survey are women age 15 – 49 years and men age 15 – 59 years drawn from 1,400 clusters randomly selected from localities in the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria. In Bayelsa State, respondents are drawn from 29 clusters randomly selected from the 8 Local Government Areas of the State. The 2023/2024 NDHS exercise which commenced in December, 2023 would run until April, 2024. During this period, NDHS functionaries would visit respondents in the selected clusters to ask the survey questions and carry out health checks”, she said.
The Honourable Federal Commissioner stated further that this year’s NDHS aims to gather data on a wide range of demographic and health indicators, including demographic characteristics, fertility and fertility preferences, family planning methods awareness and usage, maternal and child health, adult and maternal mortality rates, childhood immunization, breastfeeding and young child feeding practices, women’s dietary diversity, violence against women, nutritional status of women and children, knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), female genital cutting, fistula, and other health issues.
While the National Population Commission is committed to collecting high-quality demographic and health data, the success of the 2023/2024 NDHS depends on the collaborative efforts and unwavering commitment of stakeholders at all levels. We would like to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of our esteemed partners at the national and international levels. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to the Government and people of Bayelsa State for their support during previous NDHS exercises. We are confident that for the 2023/2024 NDHS, we will receive even more cooperation from the Bayelsa State Government, Local Governments, and Community leaders in the selected areas.
The data collected and analyzed during the 2023/2024 NDHS will not be mere statistics, but a reflection of the health, aspirations, and challenges faced by our communities. Therefore, it is essential for everyone involved to approach this exercise with the seriousness it deserves.
Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo expressed the Commision’s appreciation to His Excellency Sen. Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State, and the Government of Bayelsa State, as well as the Royal Fathers, traditional leaders at various levels, and the academia for their willingness to collaborate with the National Population Commission to ensure that everyone in Bayelsa State is counted in the forthcoming Population and Housing Census, stressing that together, we will succeed.
Mrs. Izonfuo also acknowledged the crucial role of the media in national development. She emphasized that being the Fourth Estate of the Realm, with the primary function of informing and educating the general public, the mass media is an invaluable ally of the National Population Commission in delivering quality survey and census data to the nation, stressing that while the Commission appreciates the existing relationship with the press, its looking forward to an even deeper collaboration in the future, not forgetting that their participation is vital.
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