RELEVANCE OF STATISTICS

IN PLANNING, DECISION
MAKING AND MONITORING
AND EVALUATION IN THE
FIELD OF HEALTH,
EDUCATION AND POLITICS IN
AFRICA
Presented by Pallen Mugabe,
ISAE MUK,Uganda
1

Introduction
Statistics is the
collection, analysis, explanation, interpretation,
presentation, and dissemination of data.
Its relevance in almost all sciences in making
informed decisions cannot be understated.

Problem background
More than 50% of the public are aware of the
relevance of statistics in Africa.
Little attention has been given to the relevance
of statistics.

Problem Statement
This has led to the researchers interest to
give significant highlights of the relevance
of statistics in the different disciplines.

Objectives of this study

To highlight significant ways in which
statistics is relevant
To awaken zeal among statisticians to
make wide spread knowledge of the
relevance of statistics to the majority of
people.

Methodology
Systematic search of information
Fact finding techniques were employed
like;
- Interviews
- Documentation review
Questionnaire method on proportionate
stratified random sample to establish
awareness
6

Overview
Statistics has not received the kind of attention
others have.
It has been fundamental for determining such
things as whether the economy will improve,
whether literacy is on the rise, etc.

Overview (contd)
Statistics is still a new culture in Africa
There are national strategies for the
development of statistics as a target.

Relevance of statistics
"Nothing is more important for policy than
good statistics.
The performances of the complex
economic models depend on statistics

Statistics and Health

The measurement of health conditions
include;
access to health services,
the number of people per medical
personnel,
structure of morbidity,
infant and under five mortality rates,
10

Statistics and Health (contd)

percentage of under five children that had
specific immunization
public expenditure on health as
percentage of GDP and so forth.

11

Relevant Health Statistics

Mortality
A reduction in infant mortality by 14 deaths per 1000 live
births
A reduction in under-five mortality by 21 deaths per 1000
live births
UDHS reported adult mortality (those above age 35) to
be 9.3 deaths per 1000 population for male and 8.2 for
female.

12

Relevant Health Statistics (contd)

Gender influences survival whereby males (both children
and adult) experience higher mortality than females.
Mothers age at birth also affects child mortality.
Relevance of this information should be stressed to
mothers.
Disease in child varies with mothers education.

13

Statistics and Education

Statistics in education measures;
literacy rates.
gross enrolment rates.
Statistics help determine & projecting the
school-going population etc.
14

Statistics and Quality Control

Statistical process control methods of
quality.
They enable us reduce variations in
required critical quality characteristics.

15

Statistics and Quality Control

(contd)

16

Statistics and Governance

Good governance depends on statistics
Good governance is management of regime
relations and the public realm
Provide figures for opinion polls
Provide transparency indicators to measure
corruption
17

Statistics and Governance (contd)

Provide figures for opinion polls
Provide transparency indicators to
measure corruption
Used in setting of administrative targets

18

Monitoring and Evaluation

These are valuable tools used hand in
hand with relevant statistics.
Statistics provides indicators that are a
basis for M&E

19

Monitoring & Evaluation (contd)

20

Conclusion
Statistics is very relevant in life and the
public needs to be told how.
Statistics is relevant in;
- health
- education
- governance, to mention but a few.

21

Recommendations
Make collecting and interpreting data more
interesting and less mysterious.
Help people understand use of research
design and statistics in real-life situations

22

Recommendations (contd)
NSOs should give more to implications of figures
and explaining them to the users.
Data should be widely disseminated at different
planning levels to help policy makers, etc.

23

The End:
Thank you for your attention!

24