Laikipia County has launched the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) targeting 34 cluster areas in the region.
The exercise is aimed at monitoring demographic and health related policies and programmes to guide the government in the planning, implementation and assessment of population programmes at the grassroots and national level.
Speaking during the launch of a training exercise conducted in Nanyuki town, Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri, appealed to residents from the selected clusters to cooperate with the data collectors and share useful information to make the survey a success.
“This is a very important national exercise that is conducted every five years. It is also part of the build-up of the national census that is done after every ten years,” said Kanyiri, who assured that the information provided will be handled with utmost confidentiality.
The County Commissioner said the exercise will involve community health volunteers, assistant chiefs, chiefs and assistant county commissioners. He added that there will be public meetings with the residents from the selected areas to sensitize them about the survey.
Kanyiri cautioned locals against masquerades who might pose as data collectors and use the opportunity to steal household items.
“The data collectors will not be asking for any payment. They will only be asking questions that are demographically and health related,” said Kanyiri.
Kanyiri noted that the data collected will inform the decision makers on planning for health services, water and infrastructure.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the National AIDS Control Council (NACC), the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), is planning to conduct 2022 KDHS in selected areas in the country for a period of about six months, starting from 17th February 2022.
The survey will be seeking to gather information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics, Covid-19, contraception, pregnancy and postnatal care, child immunisation, HIV/AIDS among others.
Among the cluster areas to be sampled in Laikipia County include Wiyumiririe, Likii Gathinji, Segera Gate, Kisumu Ndogo, Baraka, Cheetah and Majengo.
The 2022 KDHS will be the seventh in a series of such surveys to be conducted in Kenya. Collected information will be analysed by KNBS before the state agency releases the final report.
By Cynthia Ronoh and Naomi Gesare
