The National Population Commission (NPC) has called for the support
of residents of Gombe State and stakeholders in the on-going Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Isa Kwarra, made the call in Gombe on Wednesday while inaugurating the
commencement of the main fieldworks for the 2023/2024 NDHS in the state.
Represented by Mr Jude Maigari, the NPC Director in the state, Kwarra said that the success of the survey is a shared responsibility
for all stakeholders, hence the need for support the exercise.
He added that the nature of the exercise required patience and accuracy, hence imperative to get the buy-in of the grassroots to achieve
the essence of the survey.
The chairman said “I want to use this medium to appeal to traditional, religious and community leaders to support the NDHS by
encouraging residents to come out and partake patiently in the areas that the exercise will take place.
“The survey is being done across the country, hence the appeal to ensure that Gombe State’s exercise comes out successful, in line with
the essence of the survey.”
He said that the survey would be conducted in selected communities across the 11 local government areas of the state.
He assured Nigerians that the exercise would be conducted accurately to ensure quality data that would meet the aspirations of all stakeholders.
He said “as we all know, the data we collect and analyse will not merely be numerical values; they will represent the health aspirations and
challenges of our communities.
“Each one of us here, from researchers to administrators and policy makers, holds a critical role in ensuring the success of this survey.
“As we officially launch the 2023-24 NDHS, let’s bear in mind that the impact of our work transcends statistics.
“It extends to the lives of every individual, every family and every community in Nigeria.”
On his part, Mr Adeleke Balogun, the Gombe State Coordinator, 2023 NDHS, Federal Ministry of Health, said that the survey would help
enhance interventions that would improve the health sector and the wellbeing of citizens.
Balogun said the NDHS would also provide invaluable insights into healthcare needs that would enable government to allocate resources,
invest in initiatives that would promote health and well-being of Nigerians.
He said that the NDHS aimed to collect information on fertility, awareness and use of family planning methods, nutritional status of women
and children, maternal and child health, as well as adult and childhood mortality.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the last NDHS was held in 2018, the sixth conducted in Nigeria, following those implemented
in 1990, 1999, 2003, 2008, and 2013. (NAN)
By Peter Uwumarogie