DHS in the News

Journalists worldwide write about The DHS Program results. The dissemination of DHS, SPA and HIV data is often widely covered by media in survey countries, but journalists also use The DHS Program data throughout the year as background information for their stories, or to compare health and development indicators across countries. These data are also used by journalists in the United States and other developed countries, as it is considered the gold standard of population, health and nutrition data. Below are some examples of recent news coverage. Please note: The links below are to websites outside The DHS Program.

Nov 05, 2015
I didnt know I could become pregnant after having sex for the first time
MARY WANJIKU MWANGI
THE GUARDIAN (LONDON, ENGLAND)

"...In Kenya, more than a quarter of girls have given birth or are pregnant by their 18th birthday. And globally, there are 33 million young women between the ages of 15 and 24 who would like to use contraceptives, but don’t have access [data from surveys in 61 countries]..."

  http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/nov/05/sexual-health-young-people-international-conference-family-planning-bali?CMP=share_btn_tw
Nov 05, 2015
Bangladesh can become a beacon for rapid malnutrition reduction if it chooses to
LAWRENCE HADDAD
DEVELOPMENT HORIZONS (BRIGHTON, UNITED KINGDOM)

"...Second, the coverage of nutrition relevant programmes needs to increase. The 2014 National Demographic and Health Survey shows: only 23% of infants are fed appropriately; the percent of babies under 6 month of age that are being exclusively breastfed is actually declining; 38% of children under 5 did not receive a vitamin A supplementation in the last 6 months; and less than half of all children with diarrhea receive zinc supplements. These programs and practices need to aim for 90% coverage..."

  http://www.developmenthorizons.com/2015/11/bangladesh-can-become-beacon-for-rapid.html
Nov 02, 2015
Strategic measures needed to curb teenage pregnancy

GERTRUDE ANKAH NYAVI
GRAPHIC ONLINE (ACCRA, GHANA)

"...According to the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey of Ghana, he said, 14 per cent of adolescent girls aged between 15 and 19 are either mothers or pregnant with their first child, indicating that the figure was substantial, with the percentage as high as 22 per cent in some regions..."


  http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/52550-strategic-measures-needed-to-curb-teenage-pregnancy.html
Nov 02, 2015
Somm produces 58 midwives to fight maternal and newborn deaths
SIERRA LEONE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION (FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE)

"...She said despite the gains made by the government in the health sector, maternal and child mortality remain what she referred to as intractably high, with 156 per 1,000 and 1165 per 100,000 live births, according to the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey by Statistic Sierra Leone. These poor health indicators, she said are as a result of a range of implementation challenges including the critical shortage of health workers that the country is currently facing, pointing out only 288 midwives with 48 percent serving in Freetown from the UNFPA 2014 Draft Midwifery mapping..."
http://health.gov.sl/?p=4447
Oct 30, 2015
The agony of a woman enslaved by traditional myths
DIANA WANYONYI
BARAKA 95.5 FM (MOMBASA, KENYA)

"...According to Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2014, 38 percent of married women in Coast region are using modern method of contraception being below of the national percentage which is at 53 percent..."

  http://barakafm.org/2015/10/30/the-agony-of-a-woman-enslaved-by-traditional-myths/