NPC begins study into maternal, child mortality in Oyo

The National Population Commission (NPC) in Oyo State has commenced a study to unravel the causes of maternal and child mortality in the state.

The Federal Commissioner of NPC in the state, Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji, made this known while briefing journalists on data collection for the 2024 Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) study in the state, which will take place from December 2 to 15.

The study is being conducted by the NPC in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, with technical support from ICF and Johns Hopkins University.

In Oyo State, the study is being carried out by a VASA team that is handling three states: Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo while another team is responsible for the remaining Southwest states.

Dr. Oyetunji, in his address, revealed that the research study aims to gather data on the causes and contributory factors of deaths among children under five years of age, as well as women of reproductive age.

He stated that the 2024 edition, which is the third in the series, will provide policymakers with reliable data to plan and formulate policies for the health sector, particularly in relation to maternal and child health in the country.

“The results of the VASA study will provide national and zonal-level estimates of the major causes of under-five and maternal mortalities in the country, including Oyo State,” he said.

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“Specifically, the study seeks to unravel patterns of care-seeking and interventions received in relation to deaths of children under five years of age and women of reproductive age, along with qualitative narratives of factors associated with these patterns.”

He also noted that it is important to mention that only two teams are covering the Southwest due to its relatively lower cases of under-five and maternal mortality.

The Federal Commissioner called for support and collaboration from stakeholders to ensure the study’s success.

The state director of NPC, Mr. Olayide Adebayo, also spoke, saying that the study would provide the commission with insights into the circumstances surrounding deaths in communities, particularly those occurring outside health facilities.

“When we have a clear understanding of the social and contextual factors contributing to these deaths in our communities, we will be able to focus our efforts and develop achievable plans to address these issues,” Mr. Olayide said.

The Director of Health Planning, Research, and Statistics in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Abass Gbolahan, who represented the Commissioner for Health, stated that when Governor Seyi Makinde took office, he prioritized Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to make healthcare accessible to all residents of the state.

“As a result, about 270 PHCs have been established across three wards in the 33 local government areas of the state. This means that the people of the state now have access to primary healthcare, which is a major factor in reducing maternal and child mortality,” he said.

The Oyo State coordinator of VASA, Alhaja Samiat Lawal, added that the study would involve 70 households across 22 local government areas in the state.

She explained that the results would provide both the state and federal governments with insights into the contributory factors of child and maternal mortality and how these can be addressed through government policies.

She also appealed to respondents to be cooperative, assuring them that the VASA team had been trained to ensure confidentiality.