The National Population Commission (NPC), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, FMOH, has begun the 2024 Verbal And Social Autopsy (VASA) study in Ogun State.
The NPC Federal Commissioner from the state, Fasuwa Johnson, said the survey slated to run from 4th November to 15th of December 2024 is to unravel the causes of under-five and maternal deaths in Ogun communities.
Johnson, who spoke during the flag-off ceremony held on Wednesday, 6 November, 2024 at the National Secretariat in Abeokuta, explained that the findings would assist the government in understanding and making plans to address the social and biological factors that contribute to the deaths of women of reproductive age and children under the age of five.
The Commissioner added that the data will also help shape policies targeted at enhancing mother and child health inside the state and outside by enabling decision-makers to address the root causes of the deaths.
He said, ”We are here to introduce the 2024 Nigeria Verbal And Social Autopsy, VASA, Study, a crucial survey designed to provide insights into the causes of under-five and maternal deaths in our communities.
”The study is a follow-up to the 2023-2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) concluded in May this year.
“We will be going back to the NDHS households to ask for information that will help the government understand and plan to address the biomedical and social causes of death of children under age 5 and for women of reproductive age.
“This study will collect essential data on both maternal and child mortality, focusing on the social and health-related factors that contribute to these tragic losses.
According to the Commissioner, the data collectors will visit households to conduct interviews with affected family members to better understand the circumstances underlying maternal and child fatalities.
In her remarks, the team lead and survey coordinator, Mrs Samiat Lawal, noted that 68 clusters across 14 local governments of the state have already been visited.
The local governments are: Egbado North, Sagamu, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Ijebu North, Ijebu East, Obafemi-Owode, Ewekoro, Egbado South, Ado-Odo, Ijebu-Ode, Imeko Afon, Odogbolu and Ikenne.
Lawal said, “We are not opening a new case; we are going to revisit the people we have met before, those households who recorded deaths since the last NDHS implementation.
“This study will last for 42 days, and we will be visiting the families who have lost someone in death; we will begin in Ogun and then move to Lagos and Oyo state”.
The Commissioner while maintaining that this is a sensitive but essential process, called for the cooperation and support of every individual and community.
Other members of the team are Dosunmu Simbiat, Ogunseye Motunrayo, Bello Kaosarat, Ogunshina Owolabi, Erunoknai Opeyemi and Adeleke Adeola.
