- Commences 2024 VASA Survey
BY PATRICK MGBODO
THE National Population Commission (NPC), yesterday, launched an investigation into the factors contributing to neonatal and maternal mortality.
While inaugurating the 2024 Verbal and Social Autopsy Study (VASA), in Asaba, the Federal Commissioner representing Delta in the commission, Hon. (Mrs.) Blessyn Brume-Ataguba emphasized the survey’s role in helping governments develop policies to reduce maternal and child mortality.
According to her: ‘“the Verbal Autopsy (VA) and Social Autopsy (SA) study which is expected to generate data on Under-Five and maternal mortality is very important to Delta State because President Bola Tinubu is implementing programmes that will reduce both child and maternal mortality in all the states. Therefore, the data generated from the study will help monitor and evaluate the progress of such programmes.
‘’The Nigeria VASA study is part of the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group’s (CHERG) effort to directly estimate the causes and determinants of neonatal and child mortality in several high-priority countries to assist country initiatives to improve mortality estimates and also contribute to country efforts in improving health policy and programme development.
‘’The 2024 VASA Study is a follow-up to the 2023/24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). This study is primarily aimed at investigating the underlying causes and contributing factors responsible for deaths among children aged zero to five and women of reproductive age in Nigeria.
‘’Unlike past studies that focused only on causes of Under-five deaths, the 2024 VASA Survey seeks to provide causative patterns and trends surrounding both under-five as well as maternal mortality in Nigeria.
‘’To stop mothers and children from dying, we first need to know who is dying, from what causes and where’’ Hon Brume-Ataguba said, even as she sued for the cooperation of Deltans to ensure the success of the all-important survey in the state.
Remarking, the State Coordinator of the NPC, Mr Clement Onaro, explained that VASA is one of the surveys the commission intermittently carries out, adding that the survey also seeks to authenticate the data collected through the NDHS. Onaro, while soliciting the support of the media as it concerns advocacy, said trained interviewers are in the concerned Local Government Areas, stressing that broader participation in the exercise would help to identify and address causes of maternal and child mortality in the state.
The coordinator of the 2024 VASA in Delta and Edo states, Ekeleoseye Akhidenor, said the survey is in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and other partners, adding that the survey will last for another 42 days in the two states (Edo and Delta).
Meanwhile, the Technical Adviser to the NPC Commissioner, Mr Sylvester Evuarherhe, explained that 22 affected local governments were selected based on the data from the NDHS, adding that the commission is a data-driven organization and not biased.
