By Arnold Tutu
The Zambia National Public Health Institute -ZNPHI- has intensified efforts to determine what Zambians are dying from, as part of its ongoing national mortality surveillance programme.
According to a statement posted on the Institute’s official Facebook page, ZNPHI’s Mortality Surveillance Department is working to identify the leading causes of death across the country, with the goal of improving public health planning and response.
The Institute stated that its work focuses on gathering accurate data on how many Zambians are dying and what they are dying from, information it says is crucial for shaping effective health policies and interventions.
At the University Teaching Hospital -UTH, ZNPHI teams collect detailed information from medical records and death certificates to establish causes of death.
For deaths that occur outside health facilities, the Institute employs a method known as a verbal autopsy, which involves speaking to family members of the deceased to understand the circumstances leading up to the death.
“This method provides valuable insights into mortality trends across the population,” ZNPHI explained in its post.
The Institute added that these initiatives are part of a broader effort to strengthen the national mortality surveillance system, ensuring that every death is counted and that the resulting data directly informs health policy and service delivery.
“Through these efforts, ZNPHI is ensuring that every death counts, and that the data collected helps guide policies and interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of all Zambians,” the Institute stated.
ZNPHI reaffirmed its commitment to using data-driven approaches to enhance public health systems, reduce preventable deaths, and promote the overall well-being of the nation.
