UNFPA hands over 15,000 tablets to ZAMSTAT

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has officially handed over 15,000 tablets to the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTAT). UNFPA Country Representative Seth Broekman, handed over 15,024 tablets and solar power banks to the agency in Lusaka today. Mr Broekman said the devices…

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has officially handed over 15,000 tablets to the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTAT).

 

UNFPA Country Representative Seth Broekman, handed over 15,024 tablets and solar power banks to the agency in Lusaka today.

 

Mr Broekman said the devices were critical instruments in ensuring inclusion during the 2022 national census held in Zambia.

 

He noted that the census marked a major milestone as Zambia moved away from paper questionnaires to digital data collection.

He said the exercise positioned Zambia, alongside with her neighbour Malawi, as one of the pioneers of digital census taking in Africa.

Mr Broekman explained that the tablets enabled real-time data collection and helped the country to capture information on more than 19 million people for use in national planning and resource allocation.

He further revealed that the transfer of the tablets from Malawi to Zambia demonstrated the importance of South-South cooperation and regional solidarity in promoting large-scale digital innovation.

 

And speaking earlier, ZAMSTAT Statistician General, Sheila Mudenda, disclosed that the agency has finalised the census population projections report, provisional analytical reports in all the 10 provinces of Zambia, constituency reports and thematic reports on child marriage and activity limitation.

Mrs Mudenda said the outputs will enable government, development partners, researchers, the private sector and the general public to interpret and utilise information generated from the 2022 census.

She said ZAMSTAT remains committed to ensuring that the investment made in the 2022 census continues to generate statistical value for the country.

She stressed that the transition from paper-based to electronic data collection created opportunities to improve the efficiency, quality and timeliness of statistical production that formed part of the technological infrastructure that enabled the census to be conducted using modern digital methods.

She revealed that the experience gained from the 2022 census has provided valuable lessons in the adoption of digital technologies across Zambia’s statistical programmes.

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And Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary for Administration, Prudence Kaoma said institutions benefiting from the equipment should ensure that its use is aligned with the Statistics Act.

Ms Kaoma, who was represented at the event by Director of Population Development Pamela Kauseni, said the country continues to experience data gaps in various sectors, hence the need for technical and financial support to strengthen statistical capacity.

She stressed the need for institutions to have adequate human capacity, systems, infrastructure, maintenance arrangements and data governance frameworks to maximise the value of the investment.

 

She challenged the recipients of the gadgets to develop clear plans for the utilisation, maintenance and eventual replacement of the equipment.

Ms Kaoma said the use of the devices should be guided by established standards for data quality, confidentiality, security and responsible data management.

 

She said the government remains committed to strengthening the National Statistical System and ensuring that decision-makers at all levels have access to credible, timely and relevant statistics.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Lishimpi, thanked ZAMSTAT and UNFPA for allocating some of the tablets to the health sector.

Dr Lishimpi said the tablets, which played an important role in the 2022 census, can now be repurposed to support the delivery of health services and strengthen health information systems.

He said the Ministry of Health has made significant progress in digitising health information through systems such as SmartCare, the District Health Information System and the Electronic Logistics Management Information System.

 

He explained that this will improve the availability and timeliness of information from points of service delivery, thereby contributing to better data quality and evidence-based decision-making.

The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry of Health will ensure that the tablets are appropriately allocated, responsibly utilised and properly accounted for.

Other beneficiaries of the tablets include the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.