To finalise instruments for the upcoming Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS), Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has started a four-day questionnaire review and adaptation workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and with technical assistance from ICF. The workshop, which takes place at the Swiss Hotel in Babadorie Junction, Lumley, brings together a variety of stakeholders, technical experts, and industry representatives tasked with making sure the survey questionnaires are appropriate and prepared for national deployment.
Lansana Kpewolo Kanneh, Deputy Statistician General of Statistics Sierra Leone, opened the event by stating that the organisation is prepared to conduct the Demographic and Health Survey in spite of a hectic national data calendar that includes planning for the 2026 Population and Housing Census. In order to prevent duplication, efficiently manage resources, and guarantee the successful implementation of the DHS alongside other significant data collection initiatives, he emphasised the necessity of meticulous coordination among all stakeholders.
Dr Tom Sesay, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health, restated the Ministry’s unwavering dedication to the SLDHS procedure. He underlined that the survey’s results will be crucial for planning the health sector, developing policies, and enhancing service delivery throughout Sierra Leone. In order to target interventions and track improvements in health outcomes, Dr Sesay emphasised the importance of timely, high-quality data.
Sara Scates from ICF and Dr Dan from UNFPA also gave statements. The importance of trustworthy and dependable data in furthering national development objectives and enhancing population health was emphasised by both speakers. They reiterated that their organisations would continue to support the DHS Program as a vital source of current health and demographic data for Sierra Leone.
Samuel Ansumana, Director of the Communication and Public Relations Division (CPRD), and Mohamed Koblo Kamara, Director of the Demographic Health & Social Statistics Division (DHSSD), made significant contributions during the workshop. The cross-institutional effort to guarantee that the questionnaires are technically sound, contextually appropriate, and successfully communicated to stakeholders and the public is reflected in their participation.
In order to produce accurate data on population dynamics, maternal and child health, nutrition, fertility, mortality, and a wide range of other demographic and health indicators, the SLDHS is a significant national data collection initiative. Government policy, development planning priorities, and evidence-based decision-making at the national and subnational levels are all anticipated to be greatly aided by the data generated.
Participants will thoroughly review draft questionnaires during the four-day workshop to make sure they are in line with international survey standards and Sierra Leone’s current data requirements. Technical experts from a variety of industries can contribute to the workshop by offering their opinions on indicators, question phrasing, response categories, and field procedures. The result will be a set of completed, contextually appropriate questionnaires that can produce high-quality data to support international commitments and national development priorities. Before the nationwide survey rollout, pretesting and final preparations will take place.
