MARTIN MAWAYA
HARARE-Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), will this Friday roll out the 2023 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS).
The modular approach will be used to undertake the survey, where four questionnaires that includes household questionnaire, questionnaire for women aged between 15-49 years old, questionnaire for men aged 15-54 and biomarker questionnaire will be administered.
In a statement, ZIMSTAT public relations and communications manager, Mercy Chidemo said the data collection will run for five and half months, beginning on the 17th of November 2023 to the 30th April 2024.
She said the survey will provide up to date information on various health related issues.
“The survey aims to provide up-to-date information on fertility and mortality levels, education, employment, child care, prevalence of anaemia, maternal health care, family planning practices, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and violence against women, among others,” she said.
Chidemo added that a sample of 11 200 will be randomly selected in all the ten provinces as the national representative.
The demographic and health data will be collected with respect to women, men and children, said Chidemo.
She added that the ZDHS results will play a pivotal role in informing the government on evaluating and promulgation of policies in the health sector.
“Statistics produced through the ZDHS are key to the government as they inform the design and evaluation of policies and programmes aimed at improving the health and well-being of Zimbabweans while moving towards equitable growth in which no one and no place is left behind.
“Other stakeholders also use the statistics in their decision-making processes, programming and research, among other uses,” added Chidemo.
She highlighted that the data collected through households and their respective members, include age, sex, marital status, highest educational attainment, employment status, source of water, type of toilet facility, ownership of various durable goods and availability of electricity.
In addition, salt used for cooking by the households will be tested for the presence of iodine, said Chidemo.
On women, the data to be collected relates to “knowledge of contraception, maternal health care, breastfeeding and other feeding practices, vaccinations and childhood illnesses, children born in the last five years and domestic violence among other areas of interest to the survey”.
She said the survey will also touch on men’s reproduction, fertility preferences, marriage and sexual activity, knowledge of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases for men aged between 15-54 years.
Furthermore, the nutrition status of individual respondents will be assessed through anaemia testing and anthropometric measurements with respect to height and weight.
“The anthropometric measurements will be taken from individuals in 50 % of survey households and focus on children under 5 years, women 15-49 years and men 15-54 years. The blood test will be performed on children 6-59 months old, women aged 15-49 and man aged 15-54,” reads the statement.
