From left to right: Minister of Health Silvia Lutucuta and Minister of Economy and Planning, Manuel da Costa at the time of signing the preface to the general program of the Demographic Health Survey "DHS 2020"

USAID Angola

Luanda – The second Demographic Health Survey 2020 (DHS 2020) was officially launched in Luanda by the Angola National Statistics Institute (INE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The survey, which will publish the results by the end of 2020, aims to update demographic health indicators such as fertility rate, maternal and child mortality, prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and anemia and nutrition levels in children. DHS 2020 will also update current life expectancy and other demographic and social information. The implementation of the survey will be funded through the World Bank’s Strengthen Health Systems project which is contributing 4.9 million US Dollars (USD), USAID is contributing 1.6 million USD, and UNICEF and UNFPA 400,000 USD.

The survey operations team will create 19 field provincial teams comprised of. Each team will have a supervisor, four interviewers, two caregivers, and support of a cartographer and logistician of the INE Provincial Supervisor and Health Provincial Directorate, totaling 171 persons.

INE Director Dr. Camilo Ceita stated during the event that the DHS2 is one of their main activities and how explained how it contributes to the National Strategy of the Statistical Movement 2015-2025.

Local and international partners participated in the official DHS launch program.

USAID Angola

The Minister of Health, Dr. Silvia Lutucuta, who also spoke at the event, said the survey will be an important source for assessing the health data of Angola's families. She added that the first DHS 2015/2016 provided information that helped identify the indicators for the National Development Plan 2013/2017 and health sector reform, and monitor the Health Development Plan, thus creating for the first time in the country, indicators for HIV and a national base of infected men and women. The data indicated that national prevalence remained at two percent which resulted in a new assessment of the determinants of behaviour and the performance of the health system.

“Significant efforts to collect and generate quality information are important because research is only useful when it is available for decision-making.” Julie Nenon, USAID Country Representative to Angola.

The Angolan government considers this new DHS to be of utmost importance in assessing the state and health care of the population. These DHS results will help implement projects, outline policies and actions, and address the country's international commitments, as well as to more effectively use financial resources. 

In 2015 The National Institute of Statistics in Angola implemented the first ever in country population-based health survey, entitled “Inquérito de Indicadores Múltiplos e de Saúde” or IIMS 2015.   USAID/Angola provided technical assistance for this first survey design.  Today, USAID/Angola continues to provide technical and financial support through the Demographic and Health Surveys Program in the amount of $5.5 million.