VASA:Population Commission seeks improvement In maternal, child health in Nigeria

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The National Population Commission, NPC, has stressed that the new initiative Verbal and Social Autopsy, VASA study will have a lasting impact on the well-being of mothers and children across Benue State and the entire nation.
NPC Federal Commissioner for Benue State Barr Patricia Kpuchi said this at a press conference in Makurdi on Tuesday, explaining that VASA is a crucial survey designed to provide insights into the causes of under five and maternal deaths in our communities.
Barr Kpuchi said the NPC is in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health in implementing VASA which is built on previous efforts from 2014 to 2019 that provided valuable information that helped shaped health policies and interventions aimed at reducing preventable deaths.
She also said the study is a follow up to the 2023-2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, NDHS, that was concluded in May 2024 that seeks to gather information from households to help government understand and plan to address the biomedical and social causes of deaths of children under age five and women of reproductive age.
Represented by the Head Human Resource and Management Onah Adeyi, the Federal Commissioner said, ‘this study will collect essential data like types of meals, water, education level, immunization and medication on both maternal and child mortality, focusing on the social and health – related factors that contribute to these tragic losses.
“These information will empower decision-makers to address the underlying issues that lead to these deaths and ultimately, inform policies aimed at improving maternal and. Child health in the State and beyond.
“Our trained data collectors will visit households between 4th November to December 15th,2024 to conduct interviews with family members, gathering information that will help us understand the circumstances surrounding maternal and child deaths.