The National Population Commission (NPC) announced on Thursday that it has commenced a new round of Demographic and Health Survey in Ekiti State.
The programme, scheduled to take place in all 16 local government areas of the state, began on Dec. 4, 2023, and is expected to conclude on May 4, 2024.
Mr. Richard Adebola, the NPC Director in the state, revealed this in Ado-Ekiti during a gathering organised for media executives in the state by Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, the Federal Commissioner representing Ekiti State at the NPC.
Adebola explained that the programme’s purpose is to collect high-quality data on fertility levels and references, contraceptive use, maternal and child health, childhood immunisation, breastfeeding and child feeding practices, women’s dietary diversity, as well as violence against women.
Other objectives of the programme mentioned by the NPC Director include assessing factors that impact maternal health, such as antenatal delivery care and treatment of pregnancy-related conditions.
It also includes assessing the nutritional status of women aged 15 to 49 and children under the age of five through anthropometric measures and conducting blood testing on women aged 15-49 years and children aged 6 to 59 months, among others.
As part of the state’s preparation, the NPC boss revealed that the Commission had concluded plans to ensure the full automation of the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CVRS) in the first quarter of 2024.
He solicited the support of the media in achieving the objectives of the program and other activities of the Commission.
Earlier, the Federal Commissioner representing Ekiti state at NPC, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, thanked media professionals in the state for their support and positive reportage of the Commission’s activities in the last few years.
Ajayi said the event was organised to appreciate the staff of the Commission for their dedication to duties in 2023 and solicited more support. (NAN)
