The Ministry of Health will soon be conducting a sample survey designed to provide information on the population, family planning and a range of other health issues.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at his ministry, Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy said that the Guyana Demographic and Health Survey (Guyana DHS) will assist his ministry in the collection of important population-based data since it is considered to be the best method to acquire such information globally.
According to the minister the survey is a follow-up to the AIDS Indicator Survey (AIS) conducted in 2005 which was mostly restricted to the collection of HIV/AIDS indicators and had a small sample size.
On the other hand, the DHS utilises a larger sample size and collects information on HIV/AIDS indicators as well as biomarkers and the broad range of health data.
The minister said that the information collected through the survey will be helpful to implementers, administrators and policymakers in the field of health and development and other social services.
He said that the aim of the survey is to collect, compile and analyse relevant data and produce information to address key health indicators on the state of health in the population.
The minister told reporters that the survey will be cross-sectional in nature with mainly descriptive analysis. He said that the main field of activities for the survey will be conducted over a period of three months commencing next month on a sample of 6,600 households in 330 enumeration districts throughout Guyana.
The survey will be conducted on children ages 0-5 and women and men who are living in private households. Three questionnaires – a household questionnaire, individual women questionnaire and an individual questionnaire – will be utilised to collect the data.
Dr Ramsammy said his ministry will be the lead agency in conducting the survey and through a Technical Advisory Committee chaired by the Chief Medical Officer will monitor the implementation of the survey and report to him.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Bureau of Statistics will be the implementing agency for the survey and will be responsible for operational matters related to the survey including planning, conduct of fieldwork, processing of collected data and dissemination of results along with the ministry.
The minister said that all data collected will be under strict confidentiality and the final results will be the sole property of the government.
