Implementing verbal autopsy in the CRVS system

To allow for accurate cause of death data collection, analysis, interpretation and use for deaths occuring away from medical care, cause of death data can be collected using VA. VA is a structured questionnaire administered to the caregivers of a recently deceased individual to obtain information about the symptoms experienced prior to the death. The collected data is analyzed and interpreted to determine the probable cause of death for the deceased individual. This guide provides operational best-practices for the improvement and maintenance of VA within the CRVS system. The efforts described in this guide will help to strengthen the quality and completeness of cause of death data