Story by Tarirai Madhuyu
THE Zimbabwe National Statics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care are conducting the Zimbabwe demographic and health survey in selected households in the country’s ten provinces.
From December 3 to May 30, 2024, ZIMSTAT will be rolling out the survey in 11,200 selected households across the country.
For the first time, the survey will be looking into mental health issues as well as obstetric fistula which have been incorporated into the programme.
The results of the survey will be used to evaluate the health and well-being of citizens as well as inform the formulation of the next strategy for 2026 going forward.
“The results of the survey will be used to evaluate the health and well-being priority area in the Zimbabwe economic blueprint, NDS1, and inform the formulation of the next strategy for 2026 going forward. Registered nurses seconded to ZIMSTAT shall be testing the presence of anaemia in the blood of respondents in selected households,” said ZIMSTAT’s Acting Director, Mrs Matiwonesa Phiri.
The survey will also collect information on reproductive health, child health nutrition, immunisation, and non-communicable diseases among other topics.
“The survey content is in line with the mandate of the Ministry of Health, of providing equitable quality health services and care in Zimbabwe, using the primary health care approach.
“The survey will also collect information on reproductive health, child health nutrition, immunisation, and non-communicable diseases among other topics,” said the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Rugare Kangwende.
The ZDHS is a periodic survey conducted every five years and collects key demographic and health indicators important for policy formulation.
