Presented as ‘Best Practice’ at NHM National Summit
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, May 31: J&K has become the first region in the country to assess public health facilities using the updated Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2022 norms through the Open Data Kit (ODK) tool.
Officials told Excelsior that with technical support from the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI), National Health Mission (NHM) J&K utilized the LGT-compliant ODK tool to conduct a thorough gap assessment of the public health facilities.
The evaluation, conducted from October to November 2022, officials said, included 13 District Hospitals and 80 Community Health Centres across the Union Territory, later resulting in a draft action plan to address the deficiencies.
The initiative, involving the use of the ODK tool, was presented as the best practice by NHM J&K during the recently held 2-day Second National Summit held by the Mission, which was attended by representatives from various other Union Territories and States.
Furthermore, the digital initiative of J&K has also garnered wide recognition, with NHM J&K figuring as a semi-finalist for the SKOCH Order of Merit 2023 for its innovative use of the IPHS ODK Tool. It was also acknowledged as a best practice at the Global Digital Health Forum 2023.
The tool was also presented at the National Health Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare in India, officials said.
As per details, the initial phase of the assessment using the tool involved a baseline assessment of district hospitals, followed by community health centres.
The findings, Excelsior was told, were compiled into detailed reports and shared with stakeholders in a meeting chaired by the Administrative Secretary, Health & Medical Education, J&K, following which a draft action plan was then prepared to address the identified gaps.
The assessment, officials said, focused on various domains including Outpatient Services, Inpatient Services, Emergency Services, Critical Care, Labour and Delivery, Surgical Services, Diagnostics, Supportive Services, and other essential services such as Mortuary and Ambulance.
“State and District Health officials, along with development partners, were meticulously trained to collect data using the ODK tool,” officials said.
Also, the baseline assessment report was released by the Lieutenant Governor of J&K at the Jashn-e-Sehat event on November 4, 2022, and the subsequent release of the Community Health Centres assessment report on World Health Day, April 7, 2023, by the Chief Secretary of J&K.
Pertinent to mention here is that the IPH standards cover Sub Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, and District Hospitals, providing comprehensive guidelines on infrastructure, human resources, drugs, diagnostics, equipment, quality, and governance.
Interestingly, the NHSRC and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have also recommended adaptations for nationwide implementation of this tool, the use of which was started by J&K.
Officials said that till date, more than 18,000 health facilities across India have been assessed for IPHS 2022 compliance using this tool. “In J&K, it showcases the coordinated efforts of NHM and the Health Department for ensuring the provision of quality healthcare for all citizens.”
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