Indicators ‘missing’ in NFHS being monitored through national databases, say sources

Key points

• Union Health Ministry sources addressed criticism directed at “missing” indicators, such as anaemia, sanitation and coverage of clean cooking fuel, in the Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 factsheets saying those are being monitored through dedicated national surveys and administrative databases, and were not ‘duplicated’ in the preliminary release.
• Also read | What the NFHS-6 tells us about health in India Responding to “commentary in sections of the media regarding the absence of certain indicators”, official sources said the factsheets represent the first stage of dissemination and cover 101 major indicators intended to provide a concise snapshot of India’s most critical health and demographic trends.
• “The factsheets are the first stage of dissemination.
• The detailed national report will provide a much broader picture,” sources said.
• The report will be released subsequently with a much wider range of indicators, detailed analyses and methodological documentation.