Nigeria is set to conduct the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS6)/National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) with an inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee virtually held yesterday.
The task of the committee is to oversee the whole process of MICS6/NICS2020 to ensure that all activities concerning the survey are effectively carried out for a successful outcome.
MICS is the largest source of statistically credible and internationally comparable data on women and children worldwide, focusing on issues such as health, education, child protection, water and sanitation, amongst others.
The survey also serves as a major source of data in measuring achievements of some of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international commitments.
A statement issued on the planned surveys by the Head, Public Affairs & International Relations Unit(PAIRU), National Bureau of Statistics(NBS), Mr Sunday Ichedi, indicated that first round of MICS in Nigeria was conducted in 1995 by the then Federal Office of Statistics, which is now National Bureau of Statistics. Since its inception, a total of 5 rounds had been conducted with technical support mainly from UNICEF.
Members of the National Steering Committee were drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government and international partners, of which the National Bureau of Statistics is the coordinating agency.
The membership include the National Population Commission; Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Federal Ministry of Health; Federal Ministry of Education; Federal Ministry of Women Affairs; Federal Ministry of Water Resources; Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Others are, National Primary Health Care Development Agency; Office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs; Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Representatives of states’ Bureau of Statistics (Bauchi and Sokoto); GAVI(Vaccine Alliance); Melinda and Gates Foundation; United Nations Children Fund; United Nations Population Fund; Department for International Development (DFID); World Health Organization; World Bank and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The National Steering Committee on MICS6/NICS appeals to the general public for their support in ensuring that the survey exercises are successfully concluded.
