ADDRESS BY HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR. OSAGIE EHANIRE AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH & NATIONAL DISSEMINATION OF THE REPORT OF THE 2019 VERBAL & SOCIAL AUTOPSY STUDY (VASA) BY NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH AT
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I am delighted to be at this significant occasion of the official launch and national dissemination of the 2019 Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) study undertaken by the National Population Commission (NPopC) in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health.
2. The Verbal and Social Autopsy Study provides up-to-date health and social indicators on under-five deaths in Nigeria and the distribution along geopolitical zones and individual States.
3. The high ranking of the health sector among the nine priority areas of the current Administration is an indication of the President's vision and Government's commitment to promote health and well-being of all Nigerians. The 2019 VASA report is thus a vital tool in the critical initiative to improve the health of infants and children and also maternal health.
4. I seize the opportunity to make special mention of the lead role played by the National Population Commission (NPopC), in generating this vital data. The Ministry of Health will continue to collaborate with the Commission in its effort to achieve its constitutional mandate of providing accurate, credible, verifiable and acceptable demographic and health data for national planning.
5. This report is the product of the sound collaboration of several organizations with the National Population Commission, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Development Partners, led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is gratifying to note that the indicators from the report represent key areas of maternal healthcare (women aged 15 – 49, Child Health, Nutrition and Child Mortality.
6. Ladies and Gentlemen, data generated in the survey will provide the information needed to identify key deficits and channel resources to address developmental needs, as well as monitor and evaluate progress towards meeting the goals of our Universal Health coverage agenda and of the Sustainable Development Goal 3, with regards to maternal and child health.
7. I thank all stakeholders for providing the technical support to conduct the survey and I appreciate all the other invaluable contributions that took us to this destination. I look forward to further deepening our relationship.
8. In closing, I call on Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, State Governments, Local Governments, Organized private sector and Civil Society organisations to feel free to make use of the 2019 VASA data for planning and development purposes.
9. It is now my honour and pleasure to formally launch the 2019 Verbal and Social Autopsy Study and the National Dissemination report.
10. Thank you all for your attention.
