Niti Aayog launches health index to improve services in states

The exercise involves participation of several partners including technical assistance from WB

Government think tank Niti Aayog on Friday launched a performance index on health services to nudge states to improve health outcomes and improve data collection systems.

"This initiative (launch of 'Performance on Health Outcomes' index) is envisioned to bring about the much-required improvements in the social sector outcomes, which have not kept pace with the economic growth in the country. It will be used to propel action in the states to improve health outcomes and improve data collection systems," Niti Aayog said in a statement.

The index is launched along with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

It is meant to capture the annual incremental improvements by states rather than focus on historical achievements, it noted.

Secretary-Health C K Mishra and CEO Niti Aayog Amitabh Kant jointly released the guidebook for the exercise in the first of a series of regional workshops to be conducted across the country until February, it added.

The government's think tank further said it is anticipated that the index will assist in the state-level monitoring of performance, serve as an input for providing performance-based incentives and improvement in health outcomes, and meet citizens' expectations.

The statement said the index has been developed over several months with inputs from domestic and international experts, including academicians and development partners, seeking feedback from states.

The exercise involves the participation of several partners including technical assistance from the World Bank, mentor agencies to hand-hold states, where required, during the exercise and third party organisations to validate the data submitted prior to calculation of the index.

Stating that data will be entered and results published on a dynamic web portal hosted by Niti Aayog, it pointed out a similar exercise has also been launched for the education and water sectors.

The features of the index, measures and methods of data submission will be disseminated to states through workshops, it added.