The National Population Commission, NPC, has inaugurated the 2024 Nigeria Verbal and Social Autopsy Study to reduce child and maternal mortality in Delta State.

The Federal Commissioner representing Delta State, Mrs Blessyn Brume-Ataguba, disclosed in Asaba.

She explained that the project was an initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which is focused on under-five and maternal mortality.

Brume-Ataguba said it was to gather vital data to inform policies at the national and state levels aimed at reducing child and maternal mortality in all states of the federation.

According to her, the study was a follow-up to the 2023/2024 Nigeria Demographics and Health Survey focused on investigating the causes and contributing factors responsible for deaths among children aged 0-5 years and women of reproductive age.

“To stop mothers and children from dying we first need to know who is dying, from what causes, and where are these people that are dying, so we need to have this data.”

The Project Coordinator for Edo and Delta State, Ekeleoseye Akhidenor, indicated NPC had begun the study in eight out of the 22 local government areas earmarked, with 48 cases reviewed.

Meanwhile, Delta State Director, NPC, Mr Onaro Clement, stressed the importance of quality data for policy direction, noting that NPC had trained interviewers for the execution of the 2024 Study.

“In the National Population Commission we try our best to avoid bias, whatever we do, we use statistical order. There are variables we apply in selecting these places that are affected in this survey.”

The stakeholders highlighted the need for residents to collaborate with NPC in the step to improve maternal and child health in the country.

NPC begins study on infant, maternal mortality data in Delta