By Giwa SHILE
The National Population Commission (NPC), has selected 37 communities in Katsina State for the conduct of 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The NPC Federal Commissioner in charge of Katsina and Kaduna States, Alhaji Bala Almu Banye, disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Katsina.
He said the exercise would be conducted between August and December this year across the country.
According to him, the 37 communities were from 31 selected Local Government Areas in the state.
Banye said NPC field workers were expected to visit 30 households randomly in each community to solicit information on certain things.
“They will investigate on the factors that impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, pregnancy care, female genital mutilation and fistula.
“Blood sample will also be collected for malaria, anemia and genotype test,” he said.
Banye, therefore, called on the public to cooperate with the field workers and provide detailed information on the questions they would be asked.
He said experts would also conduct tests on malaria, anemia and genotype tests on members of households they visited.
Banye said the exercise was aimed at collecting high-quality data for policy formulation, planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He further said the 2018 NDHS, which is the sixth conducted in the country, was supposed to be conducted after every five years.
“NDHS is conducted in 52 countries in the world; the last NDHS in Nigeria was conducted in 2013,” he said.
In his remarks, the NPC Director in the state, Alhaji Lawal Ahmad, said nine staff would conduct the exercise in the state. Ahmad said medical scientists and nurses would conduct the survey.
He called on the local government councils and traditional institutions affected by the survey to support the exercise by allowing the team to conduct their work without hindrance.
The Director also urged the media to intensify effort in sensitizing the public on the importance of the exercise.
