Don’t ignore context of NFHS data
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News: The NFHS data evolved much from the Demographic and Health Survey and became a well-structured one.

Must read: NFHS-5 and its findings – Explained, pointwise
What are the challenges associated with NFHS?
Read here: The nine lives of India’s National Family Health Survey
Why the challenges against NFHS are wrong?

According to the author, the criticisers did the same thing as Inequality Report 2021: India’s Unequal Healthcare Story. Instead, the data sets have to be examined with respect to a group of indicators rather than only one indicator (Sex ratio) from the NFHS.

For instance, Data such as life expectancy of women, the incidence of institutional deliveries, total fertility rate, mothers who had an antenatal check-up should be examined.

Note: In The Inequality Report 2021: India’s Unequal Healthcare Story published by Oxfam admitted that India at 1.1% had one of the lowest case fatality rates for Covid-19 as compared to richer countries like the US and France (1.8%) or Germany and Belgium (2.4%).

The report mentioned this is due to the demographic dividend, which is tilted more towards the younger population. The report criticised India’s low hospital beds to population ratio. But the report never acknowledged the state of infrastructure, medical providers’ excellent jobs, etc.

What are the parameters India showed improvements in NFHS?
Read hereUnion Health Ministry releases NFHS-5 Phase II Findings

Source: This post is based on the article “Don’t ignore context of NFHS data” published in Indian Express on 9th December 2021.

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