Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby and Statistician-General, Mr. Andrew Bob JohnnyStatistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) recently held a strategic meeting with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) to discuss the implementation plan for the upcoming Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), which is a significant step towards improving health data collection. The meeting, which was held in a collaborative spirit, aimed to provide a comprehensive status update on the DHS as well as outline a clear roadmap for its successful implementation. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby; Sierra Leone’s Statistician-General, Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sartie Kanneh; Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Tom Sesay; and various senior officials from both organisations. Their combined expertise highlighted the DHS’s importance as a critical tool for health planning and policy development. During the session, Statistician-General Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny provided an in-depth update on the DHS’s progress, highlighting the ongoing collaboration with ICF, an international technical partner who plays an important role in supporting the global implementation of DHS initiatives. He reported that a thorough review of the DHS budget had been completed and that changes to the project documentation were currently underway to ensure the survey’s successful implementation. Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby praised Stats SL for its unwavering dedication to providing credible and essential statistical data to support national development efforts. He emphasised the urgent need for updated DHS data, saying, “We are eager for the DHS to be implemented this year.” The Ministry urgently requires updated DHS data, as we have been using the 2019 report, which is no longer current, for effective health program planning and execution.” Dr. Demby reiterated the government’s complete commitment to the survey’s successful implementation.
Adding to the urgency, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sartie Kanneh emphasised the importance of finishing all remaining processes and signing the official DHS implementation contract within the next two weeks.
The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) is a large-scale, nationally representative household survey that gathers vital information on health and demographic indicators. This valuable data is a key resource for monitoring and evaluating population, health, and nutrition programs, particularly in developing countries, making the DHS’s timely implementation critical for informed health policy and program development.
