ORF Occasional Paper 104: Overcoming data challenges in tracking India’s health and nutrition targets

Download or read book ORF Occasional Paper 104: Overcoming data challenges in tracking India’s health and nutrition targets written by Kurian, Oommen C. and published by Observer Research Foundation. This book was released on 2016-12-29 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In May 2016, the Health Secretaries of the States and Union Territories of India gathered in the capital and issued “The Delhi Commitment on Sustainable Development Goals for Health”. Among others, the document acknowledged the need to invest in health data collection, analysis and research so that these can properly inform government policies and strategies necessary to address the various challenges facing India’s healthcare. Such commitment is imperative, given that the success of global SDGs over the next 15 years will largely depend on India’s performance. Measuring progress closely to ensure mid-course corrections when needed should be key to India’s health strategy. To examine the issues related to insufficient, district-level data for customised and evidence-based planning, the Observer Research Foundation organised a panel discussion in July 2016, bringing together experts in the field. This paper builds on the key themes discussed by the panel, and from these, draws policy lessons for the road ahead.