The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) disseminated The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) findings in Uasin County.
The survey focused on key indicators like characteristics of households and respondents, fertility and family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, malaria, and gender-based violence.
The findings indicated that Uasin Gishu did well in all the indicators as compared to the national average.
The survey showed that the Household population with access to at least basic drinking water service was 79 percent for Uasin Gishu, way above the national average of 68 percent. The total fertility rate stood at 3.1 percent against the national percentage of 3.4.
Maternal and Child Health, births delivered by a skilled provider was 96 percent compared to the average of 89 percent.
In terms of malaria indicators, the household population with access to an insecticide-treated net (ITN) was higher at 74 percent than the national average of 50 percent.
However, the county performed poorly in terms of Gender-Based Violence where in terms of women between ages 15 to 49 years who have ever experienced physical violence since age 15, it scored higher 42 percent against the national percentage of 34.
Additionally, for women who have ever been married or had an intimate partner and have experienced physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence committed by any husband or partner in the last 12 months, the rate for the county was 29 percent against the national percentage of 28 percent.
In an interview with KNA during the KDHS County Dissemination Workshop Agenda, Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, the KNBS Social Statistics Senior Manager who is the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey team lead for the North Rift region, Madam Rosemary Bowen indicated that the purpose of the survey was to provide up-to-date information on socio-economic, demographic, nutrition and health indicators for planning monitoring and evaluation of various health programs and policies.
She added that the survey obtained crucial information on indicators of interest related to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) like health care financing and utilization of community health services as well as information on key indicators related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest global health threat.
Uasin Gishu did well in most indicators from health, education, and access to healthy water sanitation and hygiene.
The survey findings are very important, it helps us plan on how to improve services to the residents of this county and the whole country as well,” said Bowen.
The senior Manager for Social Statistics reiterated the need to scale up measures to reduce the rate of gender-based violence, especially to women in the county noting that the communities need to be sensitized to live with harmony and understanding one another by embracing peaceful ways of settling family disputes like seeking advice from local elders instead of family members fighting and caning children anyhow.
She attributed many cases of gender-based violence to the caning of school-going children by parents and teachers.
Madam Bowen called on the public to always support the government when conducting such surveys noting that it is important for improving their lives.
On his part, the KNBS Director for Statistical Coordination and Methods, Benjamin Avusevwa called for more collaborations with the research experts from various Universities and Research Institutions as a way to boost survey findings to solve various research problems.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale pointed out that the KDHS survey for the year 2022 findings were impressive, noting that they are very crucial for the government’s decision-making and planning on ways to improve service delivery to its citizens.
He commended the KNBS team for the great work done to reveal such key information on demographics and health adding that even though the survey findings were good, there was room for improvement.
He said the report provides baseline indicators that will be used in monitoring and evaluating the progress of implementation of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and its commitments to the citizens.
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) was the 7th to be carried out in Kenya following similar surveys conducted in 1989, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008-09, and 2014.
The KDHS 2022 was implemented by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Directorate of Monitoring and Evaluation in the National Treasury and Economic Planning, National Council for Population and Development, National Syndetic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), Council of Governors (CoG), USAID/Kenya and Others.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
